


The Right Jedi

by BasketballIsFun



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: (Mainly) Obi-Wan centric, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anakin being Anakin, F/M, Maul you SOB, Obi-Wan sees through the lies of the Jedi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Satine was and always will be Mandalore's greatest ruler, Shades of Reason AU, Sidious manipulating events for x minutes straight, Some doses of Obitine
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:55:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 44,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24007726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BasketballIsFun/pseuds/BasketballIsFun
Summary: "Obi-Wan, I need your help."There was never any real doubt as to how he would respond, all she had to do was say the word.Rescuing Satine had been surprisingly easy all things considered, but was really only the beginning for Obi-Wan Kenobi. Now in a rapidly changing galaxy where the lines become blurrier by the day, the Jedi Master is forced to confront his past and question the only path he knows in the hopes of moving forward.He's up for the task, without question. Though this time, it'd be nice if the ones he cared about didn't die in the process.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Mace Windu, Bo-Katan Kryze & Ahsoka Tano, Bo-Katan Kryze & Satine Kryze, CT-7567 | Rex & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Bo-Katan Kryze, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze
Comments: 66
Kudos: 289





	1. A Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wasn't planning on writing this at first, but then the Siege of Mandalore arc had to bring up Satine and open up that wound again. Of course, it also doesn't help that I'm a total sucker for Obitine, so maybe I was just looking for an excuse to write this.
> 
> First time I tried my hand at writing Star Wars, and I'll say right now that I had a blast doing so, so much fun writing these characters and their nuances.
> 
> Quick formal disclaimer that I don't own the SW franchise and never will, and that I included some lines from both Shades of Reason and The Lawless. Hope you guys enjoy it :)
> 
> Can confirm I crossposted this fic to FFN in case you see it there as well. Minor edits may be made to this story over time (i.e grammar mistakes previously not seen, slight tweaks in dialogue to make it flow better) but the overall plot will remain the same of course.

**Part I: Acceptance**

Satine knew her time was short when Death Watch’s attack on Sundari commenced. It was sickening really, seeing Vizsla play the role of hero when his principles made him a disgrace to the tradition he revered. Ordering her royal aides to surrender if the palace came under attack, lest there be even more blood on her hands, she moved to her chambers to set up one final holo message before things went to hell.

She opted to send her outgoing message directly to the Jedi Council for simplicity’s sake. As much as she disagreed with their methods, she had to let them and the Republic know that Mandalore was now in hostile hands. Vizsla would no doubt try to make the takeover as seamless as possible, probably to the point of erasing it from history altogether if he got his way. Her insistence on neutrality during the war would likely come back to haunt her here, but really there was only one man who she hoped the message would resonate with.

As she heard the explosions draw near, she withdrew back to the throne room, face arranged into a steely resolve. Her surrender was accepted without issue as she relinquished herself into their custody; there was nothing else she _could_ do.

_I need you Obi-Wan._

* * *

Obi-Wan’s heart raced upon hearing Satine’s message, her plea, which the Council had told him in everything but word to ignore until the Senate could review the case. Her words echoed through his mind, haunting him even after he had sufficient time to process them.

 _“This is a message for the Jedi Council, and for Obi-Wan Kenobi. The city of Sundari and Mandalore as a whole will soon fall under the control of the extremists known as Death Watch. Pre Vizsla is leading the attack, there is some resistance, but it won’t last long. I am requesting aid if possible,”_ she paused briefly before giving her final request, the one that stuck with him the most. _“Obi-Wan, I need your help.”_

The message ended there, a final background explosion serving as a chiller to Obi-Wan. The desperation in her voice gave him chills when mixed in with the underlying sense of resignation she spoke with. Like she expected the Council to not permit intervention.

As he made his way over to the hanger of the Temple out of instinct, he hesitated for the briefest of moments. He knew what he had to do but wasn’t sure if he’d succeed. But with the alternative being Satine’s imprisonment by a terrorist group that long wanted her removed from her position, his resolve to attempt the implausible rescue increased, consequences be fripping damned.

Scouting out the area, there were a few clones overlooking the gunships and transports the Jedi used for missions, but the _Twilight_ was not the center of anyone’s attention. He hoped Anakin would be okay with him taking it.

Slipping his way inside, Obi-Wan cursed inwardly as he ran a quick diagnostic. The _Twilight’s_ engines—and most notably the hyperdrive—weren’t running up to speed. _Of course_ _they weren’t_. While rushing to Satine’s side was reckless, nearly bordering on the edge of suicidal, even he had enough sense to know that the _last_ thing he needed was for his already unlikely escape plan to be devastated because of an untimely malfunction when attempting an escape jump. Not to forget the _Twilight’s_ shoddy shielding had already given him reason to hesitate prior. 

_Anakin would never let me live this down._ The thought came to him out of the blue, a brief reprieve from his task ahead. Attachment had always been a bit of slippery slope for him, with Qui-Gon and Anakin being his surrogate father and son respectively, though those were familial bonds. His feelings for Satine were another challenge entirely. He never did stop loving her, and while the Council was likely aware to some degree of his feelings, perhaps even glad of them given how he could act as a go between with the Republic and Mandalore, that would all change if he acted on them now. Would he risk that?

He already knew the answer deep in his heart, what it would _always_ be.

Shaking his head then, Obi-Wan allowed himself to assess the situation. Finding a mechanic for repairs would take far too long, that was out of the question. Maybe he could “borrow” a Jedi transport, but no, he could be stopped before even leaving the planet if the guards in the hanger were attentive enough to relay a message to a watchtower. Plus, it would make it far too easy for the Council to order him back, and though his resolve was absolute for the moment, Master Windu’s scrutiny alone could make the strongest willed of men falter.

The thought of just taking the _Twilight_ , faulty shields and unstable hyperdrive be damned, was a tempting one, but entering hostile Mandalorian airspace without sufficient protection was a death wish in it of itself. No, he’d have to find another way and _quickly._

In the meantime, he could only hope against hope that Pre Vizsla, despite his ambition and arrogance as self-proclaimed Mand’alor, had the restraint to not execute Satine for the time being. 

* * *

Though it had taken much longer than he would’ve liked, after two thousand credits of his Jedi funds and one speeder exchanged hands, Obi-Wan was in possession of a slightly worn-down freighter, though most importantly, equipped with a fully functioning hyperdrive and shields alike. While he did feel bad about having to mind trick the owner of the ship, his persistence on further payment upon return and in _Correlian_ credits of all things was something he was not in the correct state of mind to negotiate. People were impossible to fathom at times.

By the time he had made his final arrangements and set his course, it was just past midday on Coruscant, only a few hours having passed since he received Satine’s distress call.

The trip to the Mandalore system was pleasantly smooth for the most part, though this did nothing to soothe Obi-Wan himself, who remained as tense as a live wire. Thankfully, the ship dropped out of hyperspace without issue, which he took as a good omen. He might have to pay the owner of the ship extra after all out of thanks, assuming he made it off the planet alive with Satine. 

Gauging his surroundings, he was met with far less resistance than he had anticipated when landing in Sundari, even if he was correct in his assumption that Death Watch’s focus would be securing the city and not visitors. The lone Mandalorian who asked him for clearance fortunately didn’t have the sharpest of instincts. One heavy sleep suggestion knocked him out clean once he got lured into the ship, Obi-Wan dressing quickly in the somewhat ill fitting armor. 

The guards in the prison block below the city were in even worse condition though, knocked out from what looked to be a struggle. Had someone already beat him to Satine?

But no, Obi-Wan picked out her presence through the Force quite easily in the mostly vacant area. Darting around the corner, he promptly located and unlocked her cell, causing the Duchess to glance up wearily.

“Come to do your master’s bidding?” she asked.

“I do my own bidding,” he told her calmly, lifting the helmet.

He heard her gasp of surprise, gratitude and thankfulness evident in the Force, but kept his focus on the task at hand. “We have to move quickly. The guards won’t stay down for long.”

Satine nodded in understanding, biting back whatever comment or query she had for the moment. After taking the lift back up to the surface, neither of them stopped to question the lack of security as they made their way back to a surprisingly intact ship. After stopping momentarily to toss the still unconscious Death Watch member outside, Obi-Wan quickly engaged the controls so that they could gain altitude as quickly as possible.

“Look out!” Satine cried out suddenly, prompting him to take note of a large squadron of Death Watch warriors that had emerged from their rearview. Fortunately, the ship already had gained considerable height, and it seemed they weren’t being paid any mind.

Still, he found himself unable to extinguish the bad feeling he had about the situation.

* * *

“Like you said, only the strongest shall rule Mandalore.”

Pre Vizsla bared his neck for Maul to mark the final blow, one that didn’t come for a surprising amount of time. His sudden hesitance only made Bo-Katan warier.

Finally, a single word made it past the damned Zabrak’s mouth. “ _Kenobi_ ,” he said, practically tasting each syllable on his tongue, Vizsla daring to peek an eye open then. Bo understood the word but was unsure of its context in the situation.

All at once, the calm and control Maul emulated throughout the duel was swept away. “No! _Not yet!_ ” he growled. Their current Mand’alor—not dead yet—took the opportunity to activate his flamethrower, a last-ditch effort.

Maul snarled, forcing Vizsla back to the floor with a swift knee to the head before crushing the gauntlet entirely with his foot. Without calculation, satisfaction, or tact in the act, the Sith then drove the Darksaber through Vizsla’s chest, gutting him cleanly in the heart. His outburst rattled most of the warriors in the room, while also serving as the final confirmation Bo needed that she could _never_ bow to the despicable man.

“I claim this sword and with it, my rightful place as leader of Death Watch!” Maul proclaimed, bile rising in Bo-Katan’s throat upon the perverted statement. “KNEEL!”

“Never! No outsider will ever rule Mandalore!” she declared fiercely.

“If you will not join me, you will all die,” was his plain reply, as if he was simply reading news from the Holonet.

“You’re all traitors!” she retorted, blasters at the ready for both sides, the tension palpable.

That is, until Maul’s deceptively charming voice sliced through it. “Unfortunately for you, history will not see it that way. Execute them!”

It was no use; Bo and those who stood with her would have to live to fight another day given how many hadn’t even blinked an eye in turning their loyalty to Maul. Jetpacks ignited as explosives were simultaneously launched to forge a path out of the palace, while they also stopped occasionally to return blaster fire. The chase was short lived however, and she understood why, finally saw the big picture. Maul wasn’t interested in them; he had already gotten what he wanted. Staged a coup within a coup and seized the power Death Watch had built under Vizsla for his own crime syndicate.

She wanted to blast something over the realization of how easily they’d all been manipulated but maintained her composure as the de facto leader of the now split Death Watch. Instead, she looked for escape routes out of the city, eventually leading those that remained with her to a secure port.

It was only then that she noticed the not so Mandalorian ship in the sky, already high in ascent. Upon a quick scan, it most certainly wasn’t one of theirs. More so, it was the type of ship you’d find in a Republic core world; she could only wonder what it was doing out here. Recon? Had the Republic already caught wind of Death Watch’s takeover?

An idea came to her, and it was only then she understood why Maul had hesitated back when he had Vizsla pinned, why they weren’t being pursued heavily now.

“Kenobi,” she muttered.

Turning her attention to the Mandalorians who followed her lead, she barked out orders and assignments. It was all she _could_ do to maintain her sanity and some semblance of order. “Take as many ships off world as you can, we’ll have to find a new covert. Someone contact our supporting clans, make sure they know what’s happened here.”

“What about you?” one of them inquired.

“I have to make one stop first,” she said, a heavy resolve mounting in her eyes.

* * *

It was only when the jump to hyperspace was made that Obi-Wan felt they were truly out of the mynock’s nest. After ensuring the ship’s navigation was on track, he moved to the back of the ship where Satine sat, still as lovely as ever. The forlorn look on her face as she stared out the window into the endlessness of hyperspace was something else though. He wanted to rid her of the pain she felt, but also didn't want to push his boundaries.

“Obi-Wan,” she said softly, as if unable to believe he was real, that he had actually came for her.

“I’m here, Satine,” he reassured her, taking her hand in his, boundaries all but forgotten at the brokenness in her voice.

That seemed to cause something to break in her, her arms enclosing around him as she sobbed almost viciously into his shoulder. Obi-Wan did nothing to stop it, despite the voice in the back of his mind hissing about _the code_. He merely returned the embrace, allowing her to release the built-up anguish from having lost her planet to a terrorist group. Refusing to be one upped, Satine then proceeded to almost unconsciously wrap her legs around him as if he were a lifeline and she, lost at sea.

It was only a fleeting moment of consolation, but Obi-Wan was happy to give it to her. Eventually, she straightened up and released her hold on him, clearing her throat before she spoke. Obi-Wan couldn’t help but feel disappointed it had ended so quickly.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“Coruscant. I’m afraid it may be the only place we can go,” he told her grimly.

She nodded in reluctance, accepting the reality of the situation. “And do you think I’ll be granted asylum even after all my anti-war talk?”

“Even if you had outwardly supported the war, it’d still be a slow process. The Senate is… infamous for being bureaucratic and micromanaging as of late. Bringing in a political refugee of your status was going to be a drawn-out decision no matter what.”

“I figured as much,” she said with a sigh. “Is there truly nowhere else we can go?”

“Maybe not,” he confessed. “But I didn’t exactly plan much aside from taking a ship and getting you off Mandalore.”

“Hmm,” she replied, considering his admission. “Suppose I get denied entry. What then?”

“In that case, I could take you to hide out with one of my… friends in well, _lower_ _places_.” Hondo immediately came to mind; while a shady character, he was a good ally to have in times like these. Plus, his aid in defeating Maul earned him points in Obi-Wan’s book.

“I never took you for the type, Obi,” said Satine almost teasingly before sobering up at the implications of what he said. “But what would you do?”

“My contact is fairly honorable aside from the underworld dealings and all, but I wouldn’t dare to leave you in his charge for an extended period of time. I’ll stay until your safety is ensured and Mandalore is relinquished from Death Watch’s control and in proper hands. Preferably your hands, of course.”

Satine raised an eyebrow at his not so subtle declaration of attachment and what sounded like defiance. It didn’t take long for her to put two and two together afterwards. “You weren’t supposed to come, were you?”

Obi-Wan tensed up at that. The gravity of everything he’d done, the orders he disobeyed, it all finally sank in then. It was a miracle he didn’t stumble over his following explanation entirely. “It’s… possible I went against the Council’s orders of nonintervention and… _rented_ this ship from a port on Coruscant using Jedi funds. And hid my comm that the Council could’ve used to order me back under my bed.”

“Really?” she replied dryly, though he could tell she was fighting her amusement over the sheer absurdity of the situation. “And is that all?”

“And I may have… _convinced_ the owner of this ship to lend it to me for a considerably lower price than he was demanding,” he relented.

“Oh Obi, what would your Padawan Skywalker say about this?” she false chided, an all too pleased smirk on her face, especially considering that _he_ was the one who had just rescued _her_.

“He’s not my Padawan anymore,” he countered. “Though for what it’s worth, I’d say he’d be proud.”

“And why would you think that, my dear _jetii_?” she replied coolly, drawing ever so slightly closer. Obi-Wan didn’t have the heart to pull away, and truthfully had no intention of doing so anyway.

He did however have the alluring retort on the tip of his tongue, something to gently break the building tension between them. He’d tease his advances and leave it at that, even if a part of him yearned for more, that being the teenager he was when he had first fallen in love with her. _Although…_

Hadn’t the day already been one of impulsiveness for him, hadn’t he all but admitted to breaking several Republic directives just to save her? Holding back now would only serve to hurt Satine, assuming she didn’t see past the facade instantly. And thus, the words tumbled out of his mouth, and he couldn’t help the unfiltered vibrancy in the Force that accompanied them, nor the warm feeling that spread through his body.

“Because I did it for you.”

For a moment, Obi-Wan felt as though the rest of the universe had ceased to exist with the magnitude behind his words. His heart was pounding as Satine looked to him with an almost unreadable expression but also a faint glimmer in her eyes. Somehow, she had drawn even closer to him in the midst of it all, to the point where he could see the creases in her undone, but still beautiful hair.

“Obi-Wan, I—”

A ring from his personal holo interrupted her then, causing them both to startle. Reluctantly, Obi-Wan pulled out the device that he had concealed in the robes, feeling a stir of anxiety rise in his chest then, knowing only Satine and Anakin knew his holo frequency. He was not in the right mindset to deal with an outburst from his former Padawan but knew that delaying would only make things worse. Exchanging a quick look then, Satine nodded in affirmation for him to answer the call.

The image of a stern, red haired Mandalorian then came into focus. Definitely not Anakin. The first thing he noticed was the fire in her eyes, it almost reminded him of…

“Hello, Duchess,” she said coolly, as if she just _knew_ she’d be with him.

“Sister,” Satine’s reply was equally brisk, icier than her usual politician voice. Obi-Wan’s eyes widened as hers narrowed. So this was the sibling she never spoke of. “What do you want?”

“I called to confirm my suspicions and warn you of the situation,” she informed them.

“Suspicions about what? And how did you obtain this frequency?” Obi-Wan interjected, his guard still up.

“That you would come to save her. And I spent years monitoring the Duchess’s communications. When there’s a line out, there’s always a line back in,” she explained. Straight and to the point.

“Assuming you aren’t just calling to trace our location, why should we trust you, Bo?” Satine asked, her finger just waiting for a reason to shut down the holo right then.

“Because we now share a common enemy,” the woman—Bo—said, eyes darkening.

“Really? I didn’t think you’d turn on Vizsla that quickly,” Satine remarked, unimpressed.

“Pre Vizsla is dead,” her voice turned hard, emotionless. Clearly a fresh wound. “Through ritual combat for the title of Mand’alor. An outsider now sits on the throne.”

“You mean the Zabrak?” Satine asked, though the look on her face all but confirmed she knew the answer to the question. 

Obi-Wan’s heart sank at the conclusion that had to be made, the only logical one. “You’re talking about—”

“ _Maul_ ,” the Mandalorian all but sneered. He shuddered just at the mention of the name. “He was expecting you to come, _hoping_ for it even, so he could take his revenge. But you came earlier than he anticipated.”

“This still doesn’t instill much confidence for me in you,” Satine informed her, though her face turned another layer of white at the deviousness behind the Zabrak’s plan.

“I knew it wouldn’t,” she replied somberly, as if anticipating such a response. “That’s why I made one more act in good faith.”

Bo disappeared then, replaced shortly after by a boy who Obi-Wan was quite familiar with after his recent trips to Mandalore. “Auntie Satine?”

“Korkie?” Satine replied, barely maintaining her composure after the whirlwind of emotions she had experienced over the past few minutes.

“I’m okay,” he said reassuringly. “Auntie Bo got me off world before anyone realized you were missing. She’s taking us to a safe place.”

The question of _where_ hung in the air, but Satine seemed incapable of saying the word. The image of her sister reappeared then, her determination to win their trust evident in the Force.

“Look, I went against you because I believed what I was doing was right for Mandalore. Maybe it wasn’t, seeing how things turned out,” she began, before reconsidering at the sight of Satine’s pointed stare.

“Okay, it definitely wasn’t. But I’m…” she sighed in frustration, looking unsure of how to voice her thoughts. “I’m trying to make amends now. So if you could meet with us at our new base, bury the hatchet and all that kark, that’d be great.”

Satine looked over her sister, perhaps out of reflex, perhaps to check for hints of deceit or malice, then at her nephew, eyes calculating. Obi-Wan held his breath, awaiting her decision alongside the rest of the Kryze family.

“Okay,” she finally said.

“Okay?” Bo repeated, looking confused by the simplicity of her response.

“Bo, you’ll always be my sister no matter what. Even if we won’t ever see eye to eye,” Satine elaborated. “We’ll go to your base, assuming no one will try to kill us there.”

“I... okay then, good,” she replied tentatively, before snapping out of her stupor. “I’ll send you the coordinates in a bit. See you soon.”

The call ended then, and with it, it looked as though a weight had been lifted from Satine. Obi-Wan allowed her to drift in her own thoughts for a while until she glanced at him directly, seeming unsure what to say.

“You two are more similar than you realize,” he commented, figuring he ought to get the conversation flowing again after his untimely confession. 

She looked thoughtful at that, wistfulness filling her face along with pain, pain which Obi-Wan could only imagine. “Perhaps. It’s just unfortunate we’ve been fighting for different things our entire lives,” she replied.

“Do you believe you can make peace with her now like she said?” he asked, making sure to tread carefully. The topic was clearly a sore spot for her.

“Perhaps one day, yes. The thing with us Kryzes is that we’re all so stubborn amongst other things. Maybe we could eventually reach a point of understanding, but I can’t forget the things she’s done, how much she attempted to undermine me.”

“Understandable.” He left the subject alone at that. The sisters had a lot of baggage to sort through, and he decided it’d be best if he left most of it to them to personally figure out. “Shall I adjust our course for the coordinates she sent us, then?”

“Yes. I’d rather not risk the possibility of Republic intervention just yet. It’ll give us a chance to regroup, as opposed to waiting for the Senate to come to a decision.”

He moved to the pilot seat then to make the necessary changes for the new route to the base located on… Kalevala. Obi-Wan didn’t know much about the sister planet of the Mandalore system, but figured it was as safe a place as any given their current predicament. And though a small part of him worried it was all a trap set by Death Watch, he ultimately decided to put his faith in Satine and her sister, trusting that the latter’s intentions were true.

“You know, I’m starting to see where your former Padawan gets his reckless behavior from,” she said, joining him at the copilot seat as he switched hyperlanes.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said ever so casually, dodging the subject. Still, the validity behind the statement did not escape him, joke or not. He, Obi-Wan Kenobi, exemplary Jedi Master and the Negotiator himself, had defied the Republic and the Order he stood for in almost every imaginable way, and all for _attachment_. Oh, he could pretend it was the will of the Force, as Master Qui-Gon had always liked to put it whenever he took off on some unauthorized quest fueled by personal belief. In his current case, success _was_ justification that he had done right, but every rational fiber in his body knew that it could have easily wound up being suicide.

And yet, despite it all screaming _wrong, wrong, wrong,_ Obi-Wan felt… relieved. Without regret. It _had_ worked, even though their fates had been reliant on others to an extent. But would he do it again? For anyone besides Satine? Anakin? He wasn’t sure.

He shook away that train of thought, knowing it would only lead down a dark path. Instead, he turned his attention to the present, to Satine, who was _safe_ and _alive_ , drinking in her presence as if they hadn’t just been a little more intimate a few minutes ago.

Speaking of Satine, she had arched an eyebrow at his earlier half-baked reply, but ultimately said nothing of it. Perhaps she could sense the turmoil the thought brought up in him. Instead, she merely smiled gently at him in reassurance, a gesture that spoke a thousand words on its own.

Obi-Wan gave a small smile of his own in return, masking the uncertainty he felt regarding what was to come. Images of Master Windu’s stern glare and Yoda’s disappointed shake of the head as they reprimanded him were already flashing through his mind, with undoubtable ramifications coming with his recklessness. But considering he had already gone so far and defied the code in almost every imaginable way, he figured he may as well see it through to the end.

It was the least he could do for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this was honestly the most difficult chapter to write. At first I wasn't planning on including Bo-Katan because frankly, she pissed me off when she mouthed off to Obi-Wan, but then I realized that despite the crap she's pulled, she's still a victim of circumstance like almost everyone else in TCW. Also, her never getting closure with Satine was tragic and understandable for the series, but it was too good of a premise for me to pass up here. 
> 
> Updates will be every Monday to begin (or sooner if I somehow stay ahead of the curve), but may become slightly more infrequent as time goes on. I do have a general idea where I want this story to end, just not quite sure how to get there yet.
> 
> Let me know what you guys thought about this, any feedback would be greatly appreciated. It's one of my favorite aspects when it comes to writing. 
> 
> And of course, may the Force be with you all today. :)


	2. Caught In The Middle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan comes to a few gut wrenching conclusions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos last chapter! :3

The reception for Obi-Wan on Kalevala was about as grandiose as he had expected, with thirty Death Watch members greeting him with blasters drawn. Upon one of them requesting that he be brought in for interrogation, Satine argued his case with a passion she usually saved when defending Mandalore’s neutrality in political gatherings, and occasionally their own personal squabbles. The fact that she was going through negotiations on his behalf after what she had endured didn’t sit well with him, but Obi-Wan remained silent knowing it wasn’t his place to speak. Fortunately, her sister (full name being Bo-Katan, he noted) had also advocated for them, and with her backing, they came to the compromise of just taking his lightsaber for the time being.

After heading inside the split Death Watch’s command center—which was more or less a redesigned palace—they were briefed regarding the situation on Mandalore. Maul had reinstated Prime Minister Almec as a public figurehead to hide his takeover to the masses, who in turn declared that Sundari was to be put under total lockdown after Satine’s escape. In addition, the sleazy politician had also announced that ships would be prohibited from entering the planet “for the foreseeable future”, meaning resistance would likely have to be built up from behind the scenes.

Gathered inside what was considered the strategy room, Obi-Wan in return laid out the bits of information he knew, though the troopers mainly seemed interested in the Republic response to Mandalore’s new leadership should word get out. He personally felt that the Senate would turn a blind eye to it as long as it didn’t impact Republic affairs, but he couldn’t say anything was definitive. Especially now that Maul had the backing of his brute brother Savage, what remained of Death Watch, and his crime syndicate, one much larger than Obi-Wan had initially realized.

“I should have known,” he said almost to himself, though every eyeball in the room turned to him. “I knew he wouldn’t stop, but the lengths Maul would go to exact his revenge are far greater than I previously imagined.”

“Every meeting we had with him, it was always Kenobi this or that with him. Just what exactly did you do to him?” Bo-Katan questioned.

“We’re old acquaintances,” he replied dryly, having already recounted when he cut down the former Sith to many. It was a cauterized old wound by now, and while he hadn’t risen above it entirely, there was no pain when he spoke of it now, only acceptance. Though he knew he wouldn’t have the same mentality had things gone wrong earlier. “I thought I sliced him into two and was done with it over a decade ago, but then he reemerged recently, his hatred for me fueling what’s left of him.”

An uneasy silence went through the room then, Obi-Wan realizing moments later how his almost detached tone could be interpreted as an underlying threat. Satine herself looked rather appalled by his revelation, but only rested a supporting hand on his shoulder in response.

“I’m afraid he’s long beyond reason,” he clarified, mainly for the outcasted Duchess. “Now that he’s seized leadership of the strongest clan and basically Mandalore itself, he won’t be giving it up without a fight, probably a long one.”

The same Death Watch member who initiated the meeting—was she Bo-Katan’s second-in-command?—nodded. “We know Maul has been propagating war, famine, and illegal trade on several worlds. He and his brother did it on Mandalore as well after Death Watch lost the CIS’s support,” she explained, confirming one of Obi-Wan’s oldest suspicions. “Instigated attacks, dissent amongst the masses, then made himself—or rather Vizsla—out to be the savior in the end. He played both sides of the war in every aspect.”

 _Played both sides._ Obi-Wan thought upon this concept, it was deviously brilliant. Weakening both sides of the conflict by your own hand, thus making it easy to pick off any unsuspecting enemies or naysayers who didn’t fall in line once absolute control was established. Was it a Sith tactic? If so, and Dooku was indeed in league with the supposed Sith Lord, _Darth Sidious,_ they had used the exact same playbook by dividing the Republic. A prolonged battle with no end in sight, any advantage gained by one side immediately dissipating with the news that this stronghold or another had been lost, and plenty of unrest amongst the population. He knew all too well that the Jedi weren’t exactly revered throughout the galaxy, at least on the planets that were aware of their existence. The Separatists didn’t exactly have a reputation to boast of either, though they had gained traction with more worlds joining the Confederacy as of late.

Assuming this Sidious would step in to take power once the war had reached its end, it did make sense for it to be from a political standpoint, given the Order’s lack of jurisdiction there. Still, he approached the thought with caution, remembering that Dooku had also lied about not knowing of Jango Fett’s presence on Geonosis in the very same conversation where he spoke of Sidious. It could easily be a red herring meant to throw him off the scent of the true mastermind behind the war. But against his better judgment, Obi-Wan had to admit there was some merit to the theory when factoring in the uncertainty the Senate was operating under as of late. _Just maybe_ …

He shook his head, unwilling to make such a leap. Not without hard proof, most of all. Not if he wanted to be labeled a traitor and end up getting blasted via executioner squad. Or worse, not even know it was coming. Until he found some semblance of evidence, he couldn’t deem his former grandmaster’s silver tongue to be truthful.

“Obi-Wan?” Satine’s voice and nudge thankfully brought him back to the current situation at hand, where his mind _actually_ needed to be.

“My apologies, I seem to have drifted off there,” he replied halfheartedly, several expectant faces looking to him. “What were you saying?”

“We were wondering if you had any insight as to what Maul’s endgame might be.”

He frowned, pondering the question. Initially, he came to the conclusion that Maul’s actions were part of a convoluted ploy for him to take vengeance with Satine as his target, but now that he knew it was so much more, an _empire_ he had built, he had to reconsider. What was his grand plan aside from wreaking havoc? To take down his former Sith Master? The Jedi? Something different entirely?

“Take it from his perspective, cast out from Republic, CIS, Jedi, Sith, all of it, the next best thing would be to build up your own regime. Amass power behind the scenes, eventually to the point where you can take over the strongest system not affiliated with any of those things. Like all Sith, he desires power and control, absolute. Assuming the Republic and CIS don’t step in, his could grow to the point where he could insert Mandalore into the war with both sides on their last legs. But make no mistake, he had— and still has—other incentives,” he said, not daring to look at Satine then, force forbid he’d remind her of how much they’d both been played all over again.

Bo-Katan nodded in affirmation. “The Shadow Collective has propped Maul up extensively. We know he has the support of Black Sun, the Pykes and the Hutts, but we’re still unsure as to the extent of his reach in the Outer Rim. Toppling it would mean either cutting off the head of the snake or—”

“Another drawn out war,” he finished, dread filling his gut. The Republic would not permit intervention for what they would consider to be a civil war, not unless Maul provoked them directly. Given his slow consolidation of power, he doubted that would be the case. Maul was being smart, and with Satine out of his clutches, he would likely continue to do the same.

“Yes, and that’s why we’ll need your help,” Bo-Katan stated firmly.

“What exactly are you suggesting?” Obi-Wan asked warily, wondering if she would in fact ask for Republic assistance for the battle to come. Satine’s face twitched ever so slightly as she likely came to the same conclusion, but she withheld her tongue.

“Based on your experience with them, I’d say you’re probably our best bet to take out Maul and his brother. We’ll need you on the front lines for that,” she explained, the offer catching him off guard.

If he were to accept, he’d all but be handing in his resignation to the Order, and for a terrorist group that had only begun trying to right their wrongs a few hours ago. Not to mention, it could also just be the “enemy of my enemy is my friend” type of agreement, in that they would simply leave him and Satine out to dry in the aftermath. But the question of _who else would_ when it came to stopping Maul and Savage rose to the forefront of his mind, and it was then Obi-Wan knew there really was no choice.

“You’re right,” he conceded. “Maul is an adversary that cannot be left unchecked the way things stand.”

Bo-Katan nodded in satisfaction. “When the time comes, we can reclaim Mandalore, and you can take Maul for your Republic. That should cover your ass for any bylaws you’ve violated.”

“Sounds good, I think,” he said, though his mind was elsewhere as even more questions arose. He asked one in particular mainly for Satine’s sake, “But what exactly are your plans for when you eventually take back Mandalore?”

The younger Kryze sister exchanged glances with a few of her fellow warriors then, as if silently communicating whether or not to share their intentions.

Eventually though, she relented somewhat. “We’re not entirely sure. Driving Maul and his loyalists out while minimizing civilian casualties are the top priorities, but outside of that…” she trailed off, before shrugging off the unknown factor.

Obi-Wan met eyes with Satine then, both having registered the underlying tone to her voice. Something was being withheld from them. But to make a fuss of it now… the blue in her eyes said _no_.

“Well, I suppose that’s all we can really ask for,” he said, perhaps a bit _too_ amicably. He quickly opted to rectify the mistake. “Just as long as we’re on the same page.”

If anyone had picked up on the subtle implication behind his final statement, nothing was brought up of it. In fact, the strategy session had delved into a completely different discussion afterwards, mainly battle tactics for the eventual siege and insight on the clans that would support an overthrow of Maul, topics which Obi-Wan could not give input on. Fortunately, there wasn’t much left to speculate on, and soon everyone was left to their own devices.

After bidding Satine a good night to likely one of the longest days of her life (his too, in retrospect), he stepped outside of the palace, worry in his heart of what was to come. Though first and foremost, he still had a final obligation, one last loose end to resolve before he could fully commit himself to the renegade Mandalorians’ cause.

* * *

Anakin had a pretty good day all things considered. He had finally wrapped up a weeklong campaign on some backwater Separatist planet, beat Ahsoka in holo chess, and even managed to find the time to visit Padmé while the night was young.

So naturally, he wasn’t expecting the call from Obi-Wan right when he was about to get some sleep for once.

There was something… off about his master, a mixture of worry and relief on his face when he answered. Still, that didn’t stop Anakin from asking questions. “Obi-Wan? What is it? Do you have any idea how late it is?”

Obi-Wan only held up a placating hand in response, clearly all business as usual. “Listen Anakin, what I’m about to tell you is of utmost importance. Are you alone right now?”

“It’s nighttime Obi-Wan, I’m at home,” he lied. Though really, it was only half a lie.

“Good,” his face had the tiniest bit of skepticism in it, but there was no further probe. “You must know, Darth Maul and Savage have launched a takeover of Mandalore and are now in control of Death Watch.”

“Maul??? Again?” Anakin blurted out, lowering his voice once he remembered there was only a thin wall separating him and Padmé sleeping one room away. “Wait, what about your girl—er, the Duchess?”

“I’ve managed to get her off world to a planet of allies, or at least one where she won’t be killed on sight. I’m afraid for confidentiality, I cannot give you the location.”

“Why didn’t you bring her back to Coruscant?”

His master frowned, regarding the idea with disdain. “Anakin, you know how things work in the Senate. It would take several meetings of baseless arguing just for them to come to a decision, and they might end up denying her entry in the end anyway.”

“Okay, fair point,” Anakin admitted. He figured Obi-Wan had a plan, though for some reason, he didn’t expect him to have thought _that_ far ahead. “What do you want me to do about it?”

“Inform the Council what has happened and keep your guard up. There’s a chance Maul may try pursuing you to goad me into a fight, he already did it once with the Duchess,” he explained. “When the time comes, I will then explain my actions to the Council personally.”

 _The plot thickens._ “You didn’t tell the Council about this rescue mission of yours?”

“I thought upon it through the Force and made the decision myself.” 

“Mmhmm,” Anakin replied, unconvinced. He’d have to ask the Kryze lady one day how she got the stoutest Jedi in the Order to drop all his principles in an instant for her, because he couldn’t remember his master acting so _rash_ before _._ He could only imagine how much that year they spent together impacted Obi-Wan if he was going to such lengths to keep her safe. 

“How long will it be until you return?” he then inquired. Best to get a timeline now before things spiraled out of control even more.

“However long it takes to bring down Maul,” an edge entered Obi-Wan’s voice then, unsettling Anakin. “So… weeks, maybe months.”

“ _Months?_ Obi-Wan, we need you on the front lines, the clones need you! You can’t just leave like that without notice!”

“The 212th is one of the most capable battalions out there. But if they really need a general, you and Ahsoka can command them, you have my blessing there,” he said with his signature annoying, placating calmness. His politician voice.

“You know the Council’s not going to be happy with you leaving for a personal crusade.”

“Oh, I know they won’t,” he agreed, surprisingly not arguing the notion that it _was_ personal. Well, at least he was being honest. But it still unnerved Anakin how accepting his master was of the consequences without regret. “But if something is not done about Maul soon, he may become too powerful to stop. For every person he kills, their blood is on my hands for failing to finish him when I had the chance.”

 _Ah._ There was another part to his motivation. “Obi-Wan, that wasn’t your fault,” he told him for the umpteenth time since the rogue Sith had returned. “ _No one_ should have survived what happened to him.”

“Maybe not, but he is still my responsibility.” There was a sense of resignation in his eyes as he spoke, as if he believed there truly was no other way. “I won’t be abandoning the war, but I will be fighting it on my own terms. For a battle that I may actually have an impact on in the end.”

Anakin stared into those eyes then, blue irises that gave away so little, trying to decipher what he meant. Obi-Wan didn’t believe he was important to the cause, to the war he had all but spearheaded in the times Anakin himself wasn’t present? Now that was a load of kark if he ever heard it.

“Obi-Wan, we’re fighting this war for a better galaxy, to bring peace, and—”

“And it’s a conflict that has dragged on for the past two years with hardly any gain being made. One Jedi is not going make or break the war with so many battle droids and clones in the fold,” he cut in. “At least with Maul, I know who’s orchestrating things, and I can help end the battle quickly.”

Anakin frowned, not because the answer didn’t make sense, but because it was so un Obi-Wan-esque. “There’s nothing I can say to change your mind, is there?”

The question was really only a formality, but he felt the need to make sure his master was fully committed to his course of action, that it wasn’t a shortsighted move made on impulse. 

“No,” Obi-Wan replied bluntly, before sighing. “Trust me Anakin, it wasn’t an easy decision, but I do believe it’s the right one. I wouldn’t be confiding in you if that weren’t the case.”

“I… thank you, I appreciate that and all, but…” Anakin paused, feeling like a Padawan again with how much everything was being spelled out for him. “But what was different this time? What made you go against the Council and everything?”

A reminiscent look washed over Obi-Wan’s face then, one that would speak louder than any words he had to offer. “A friend was in need; I couldn’t just ignore her plea. And the Council… isn’t always right, I’m sure you can agree with that. So I did what I had to do.”

Anakin contemplated his admittance, no doubt a difficult one. Given the amount of unease his master exuded throughout the call, he decided it would be best to support his decision, even if he didn’t necessarily agree with it. “I’m glad you did.”

“Thank you, Anakin, for understanding,” Obi-Wan smiled briefly for the first time then, though it was short-lived as he spoke again. “Make sure you keep your guard up, difficult times may be ahead.”

“I will,” he replied, sobering up at the reality of what was to come. Maul in control of Mandalore, the war at maybe its peak. Personally, he thought his master had _understated_ things there. “Good luck, Obi-Wan.”

“I don’t believe in luck,” came his usual reply, though he smiled again nonetheless. “But I appreciate the sentiment. Goodbye for now, my friend. May the Force be with you in the days ahead.”

Anakin didn’t want the conversation to end there, knowing it could be the last contact he got from Obi-Wan for a while, but his drowsiness won out as he wound up only muttering a weary goodbye in return. Upon the conclusion of the call, Padmé’s apartment felt eerily quiet as his mind was soon consumed with what ifs and worries.

Thinking back on Obi-Wan’s words throughout, Anakin realized two things.

For starters, he’d have to prepare for the inevitability of the Council learning of what Obi-Wan had done. Surely, they would question him first over the matter, and just the thought of their inquiries on how he knew of Maul’s presence was exhausting him already. He could feign ignorance, act as if he were in the dark, it wouldn’t be the first time he had done so. But he couldn’t fail Obi-Wan like that, not for such a crucial matter. He'd suck it up and submit to their inquiries, there was far worse punishments. 

Secondly, his former Master was definitely attached. He wasn’t entirely sure if the feeling was mutual even after the pair’s display of sassiness on the _Coronet._ It was just hard to envision the ever dutiful Duchess of Mandalore falling in love with anyone. But then again, Obi-Wan Kenobi certainly wasn’t just _anyone_.

Lying in bed with Padmé that night was both a blessing and a curse with how jumbled his thoughts became as the hours ticked by.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this has given me an excuse to rewatch TCW again, so I see it as a win. :D


	3. Troubled Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mace, Maul, and Palpatine try to make the best of an unanticipated situation. Anakin reflects on his role in it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter came out a bit later than usual, proofreading was a bit tedious along with some IRL stuff. Thanks for all the kudos and comments last week, appreciate all the love this fic has gotten!

The emergency meeting Yoda had called that morning certainly generated some surprise in Mace, but not as much as what was being entailed during said meeting.

Overnight, Kenobi had become public enemy number one of Mandalore through the Prime Minister’s claims of stealing a political prisoner. While he certainly remembered the man being headstrong and rash during his days as a Padawan, even to the point where he had nearly been deemed unfit to be trained, Mace had believed those days were long gone. Master Jinn’s tutelage had done wonders for Kenobi, shaping him into the Jedi Master he knew today.

Unfortunately, it seemed as though Kenobi’s reckless tendencies hadn’t been driven from him fully after all these years, especially if his uncharacteristic, bullish actions of the past day were any indication. Though perhaps it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to Mace, given Qui-Gon’s disputes with the Council in the years prior to his death. He supposed it was too much to hope for that the student didn’t take on _all_ of the master’s teachings.

To make matters worse, the Senate had been sent into cacophony upon the news, demanding accountability from the Order for Kenobi’s actions. The Chancellor did manage to dim the outcry with the presumption that Mandalore wouldn’t go to war with the Republic over such a matter, before sending the Senate into disarray by adding that they should still be prepared for such an outcome. _Sheer bedlam._

Mace suggested extended time away from the battlefield allowing Kenobi to reflect on his actions once he returned, cautioning that the Senate would likely ask for jurisdiction on the case. Though truthfully, he didn’t see another way for this to be resolved given how every way Kenobi went about things only served to make things worse for nearly all parties involved. Regardless, his statement sparked debate from the masters present as expected, no simple resolution in sight.

“At its peak, the Clone Wars are,” Yoda said in contemplation. “Devastating, the loss of Master Kenobi would be.”

“He has already knowingly violated several Republic treaties and agreements with the Neutral Systems and is now harboring a valuable political refugee,” Ki-Adi Mundi argued. “If Master Kenobi does not return at once, he must face some form of reprimand. The Senate will not be satisfied otherwise.”

“He should have the chance to argue his case,” countered Plo Koon, ever so cautionary. “Leaving his fate to the Senate would not bode well for anyone.”

“If such a scenario comes to pass, we must abide by guidelines as members of the Republic. Kenobi will have the chance to defend and take responsibility for his actions, but through proper protocol,” Mace reminded everyone.

“What of his battalion?” Shaak Ti inquired.

“Unclear, the duration of Master Kenobi’s absence is,” Yoda replied. “Capable, Knight Skywalker and Padawan Tano are. If needed, lead the 212th they will.”

“It’d be best if we convene with the Senate before taking action, lest the situation escalate further,” Mundi added.

“Yes, it is critical we maintain the support of the Republic in this time should we wish to conduct our own investigation on this matter,” Mace agreed. “I will take a group of Council members and speak with the Chancellor regarding this development.”

“Strange times, these are. Trust in the Force, we must,” Yoda concluded.

The pronounced, solemn silence that ensued sent chills down Mace’s spine. The dark side was near, growing stronger every day. The day the Sith Lord’s identity was revealed was one he prepared for restlessly, even more so since his meditation sessions began leading him to murkiness. It was why he continued to reinforce his Vaapad, often drawing upon his own anguish that he was unable to release into the Force to do so.

For when the time came, he would be ready.

* * *

Maul felt his teeth clench unwittingly for the umpteenth time since he had sensed Kenobi’s presence, his anger and frustration at his failure fueling his resolve. It had all been so _easy;_ Kenobi would come once Vizsla had been disposed of, and he’d finally have the retribution he’d been craving since the day the Jedi left him to crawl, to _drown_ in a bottomless tomb. All the languishing and feelings of inadequacy he endured since, it would all lead back to Kenobi then.

But the infuriating man, one who had the audacity to not even perceive him as a _footnote_ , acted swifter than he had expected, and Maul had to wonder whether he had a premonition of some sort to guide him. But it seemed unlikely given how strong the dark side of the Force was. He had no doubt Sidious was setting the pieces to assume absolute control over the petty Republic now that his war was proceeding in full scale.

He snarled, feeling vindicated from the knowledge of Kenobi’s reckoning by either his hand or Sidious’s, but also angered by the prospect of the Sith master who had also cast him out succeeding.

 _Patience_ , he admonished, reminding himself that he hadn’t built everything solely for Kenobi. Yes, there were other enemies he could exact his revenge on, more power bases he could influence for the inevitable day Sidious was formally declared the sole controlling interest in the galaxy. And then…

He would challenge his former Master when he amassed enough power of his own, rather than wait for him to saunter in and dismantle his criminal alliance when caught off guard. It enraged and unnerved him knowing Sidious felt he still had use for him, the supposed failed apprentice in his eyes. Enough use to the point where he allowed him to roam around freely rather than tying up the loose end immediately. He was simply viewed as another meagre pawn in Sidious’s intricate game.

 _His arrogance will be his downfall_ , Maul thought spitefully. While true that pawns alone were nothing but a bridge to defeat your enemies, they also had the potential to become the most powerful piece on the board if left unchecked. Having gained so many pawns of his own, Maul felt a grim satisfaction knowing what was to come.

Kenobi would be destroyed, Sidious would execute his grand design, and he would find a way to thrive in the chaos, a once loose end becoming too powerful to defeat in one fell swoop.

Though for now, he would have to prepare. Beckoning to one of his Mandalorian guards—Saxon, it was—Maul briefly entailed instructions on how to proceed for the near future. 

“Ensure the Prime Minister makes it clear to the galaxy know that any Republic influence in Mandalorian matters will not be tolerated. Run another sweep of the city for signs of traitorous activity, see to it that everyone remains in line.”

“Very well, Lord Maul,” the man replied dutifully, so blissfully ignorant. Vizsla at least had the foresight to attempt a betrayal when the time came, but those who pledged their allegiance to him now genuinely believed he shared their goals and interests. Seeing firsthand how brash and headstrong Mandalorians were, it came as no surprise that they had lost their war against the Jedi centuries ago. But what came with that proud warrior culture was their _loyalty_ , unbounded loyalty that he could exploit to the point where they enacted his will for him.

Maul sat on the throne easier afterwards. With Savage at his side, the Shadow Collective’s reach expanding by the day, and the inevitability of vengeance on his enemies, it washed away his concerns for the time being.

* * *

Palpatine was getting tired of seeing Mandalore pop up in the Holonet news. He had them marked as a problem element from the beginning just from how unruly Mandalorians were in general. The Duchess’s nonsensical neutral stance to his manufactured war only solidified them as a threat. And with thousands of systems following this line of thinking as a result, Mandalore and its Neutral Systems were the biggest potential wrench in his plans once the Republic was dissolved and in his grasp. Petty, minuscule resistance was one thing, a potential rebellion spanning several systems was not something he could just dispatch of overnight.

It was fortunate those same traditionalist Mandalorians had done most of the dirty work in diminishing her influence, as he could only do so much from a political standpoint to hamper a neutral world. Still, the doctored clip shown in front of the Senate should have been enough to undermine her, but the lengths she went to prove its illegitimacy were greater than he had imagined for a pacifist. If not for the annoyance she had been throughout the war, the strength she carried herself with would be almost admirable to him. _Almost_.

Thus, he saw it as another piece of the puzzle _finally_ falling into place when it was revealed that the Duchess had been removed from power, having supposedly murdered the Death Watch leader, Vizsla. The disgraced Prime Minister would make an excellent puppet for an Empire sanctioned Mandalore, once the other minor issue was dealt with by either his hand or another’s.

The displaced apprentice had attempted to be coy with his power grab, but it was impossible for him to hide when his mind was not even his. Still, he was impressed by the Zabrak’s resolve. Had events not played out as they had, he would have been a powerful Sith to reckon for years to come, certainly a worthy apprentice.

Instead, he had built a considerable criminal faction from nothing to try and rival the Republic, though disposing of him now would be imprudent. No, he would allow Maul to orchestrate the next insignificant Mandalorian civil war, the result leaving the “winning” faction more susceptible to his subjugation either way.

His involvement served as a convenience for him in reality, as he’d also be able to lead him directly to the Nightsisters, one of the few left with the power to truly challenge him. The only real issue of any concern that arose from it all was one of the more respected Generals of the Republic breaking protocol and infiltrating a neutral area without clearance. Some of the more “morally conscious” senators wound up voicing their doubts on the direction of the war as a result, calling for _peace treaties and_ _negotiations_ all while questioning his leadership. It amused him how subtle they thought they were.

No matter, he could simply expel the dissenters from the Empire when it was time and blame this latest development on the Jedi for operating autonomously. Another incident to further the label of them being traitors to the Republic. However, judging from the four masters that spoke with him that morning, they were going to attempt damage control of some form. Which again, was no matter.

Yes, there was always going to be opposition, but dealing with the political type was almost child’s play at this point. And the opportunity it presented to plant the seeds of another matter…

“Inform General Skywalker that I would like to speak with him,” he told Mas Amedda, smirking over the bustling skyline of Coruscant.

* * *

Anakin was thankful Obi-Wan had told him ahead of time what had happened, because he’d probably be fuming over his master dropping everything otherwise. He imagined Padmé had been dumbfounded by the official announcement made by the Senate that morning, even if he may have drunkenly told her about his master’s feelings for the Duchess a few times.

But now that the Chancellor himself wanted to speak with him? He honestly wasn’t sure what to make of the situation, though it was of great importance to him and the Republic.

“Anakin, my boy,” he greeted warmly upon his arrival. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, thank you Chancellor. Why did you want to see me?”

He raised an eyebrow in mock surprise at his formal tone. “Can a man not simply want to see an old friend?”

“He can, but as the Supreme Chancellor, I thought you’d have more important matters to settle right now.”

“Always so insightful,” Palpatine remarked almost wistfully before letting out a sigh. “You are correct though, I just finished speaking with members of the Jedi Council and thought it’d be best to check in on you.”

“The Council?” he repeated, trying and failing to conceal his surprise.

“Yes, they came to account for Master Kenobi’s defection, but I’m afraid nothing of substance was really said.”

 _Figures as much,_ Anakin thought bitterly, knowing how noncommittal the Council could be when something didn’t go as they expected.

Palpatine picked up on his mood quickly, his face turning sympathetic. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring that on you. I imagine you’re already having a difficult time as things stand.”

“It’s okay. I… appreciate knowing, actually. Besides, Obi-Wan and I have been apart for much of the war already, this isn’t anything new,” Anakin told him, trying to appear nonchalant.

“Yes, but I imagine the circumstances here are rather… _unique_ ,” Palpatine reminded him. “These are already difficult times for the Republic, without your master in the fold, things may escalate.”

“Escalate? How?” Anakin questioned, an edge in his voice.

“Oh, it’s merely speculation, but the fear of the Senate is that without General Kenobi the Negotiator, more systems may leave for the Separatists.”

His eyes widened in horror over the thought. “They wouldn’t, not over Obi-Wan alone,” he countered, thinking back to their conversation from the previous night.

“Every man in war counts Anakin, some more than others. You’re not just parts of the machine like the Jedi would like you to believe.”

Anakin had no reply for that, allowing Palpatine to continue.

“General Kenobi has left quite the imprint on several worlds, if they witness one of the leaders of the war effort seemingly desert, it could put many things into question.”

“I see,” he said as evenly as he could manage, though really, he didn’t. All he could think about was his conversation with Obi-Wan last night. He had made it clear then he was in it for the long haul to take down Maul. How long would it be until they spoke again?

“You are concerned for him,” Palpatine then said. A statement, not a question.

“I… yes,” he admitted. “I shouldn’t be though.”

“Anakin, it’s perfectly natural to have such feelings. Suppressing them will not help you, you must embrace them. I’ve seen your passion and drive shape you into the best General of the Republic, you shouldn’t reject them now.”

“That’s… different,” he said halfheartedly, thinking back to all the sessions he had with Obi-Wan teaching him how to approach his emotions.

“Is it? I’ve read the Jedi Code, there wasn’t even a mention of emotion or feeling being utilized. I fear you leaving it all on the battlefield could be costly one day.”

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, unsure of the message Palpatine was trying to convey. “What do you mean?”

“There is always another way Anakin, another perspective to everything. It would be foolish to deny who you are at your core when our time in this galaxy is so limited. Be open to change, let your passion give you strength, your drive fuel you to end the war. It would make things much easier for you, my boy.”

The Chancellor then rested a placating hand on his shoulder, Anakin giving a weak smile in return. “Thank you, Chancellor. I will… consider that. Now I think I have to leave soon for—”

“Oh, it’s fine my boy, no need to trouble yourself on my expense. Go ahead,” he said with his own genuine smile, looking pleased.

Anakin gave a quick goodbye and final nod before exiting his office, an uneasiness swelling from his heart. Palpatine was right in his presumption that there was another line of thought to everything, another way, but even he knew that could be a slippery slope. It wasn’t lost on him how much the Jedi had adapted and compromised throughout the war, how much he had done so as well.

His own feelings were another matter entirely. He never did learn how to properly deal with attachment, and had no intention of doing so at this point. The connections he had forged with Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, the Chancellor, with _Padmé_ , he’d break before he let go of those. Then again, he doubted he was alone in his predicament. Wrestling with your feelings daily, having to choose between duty and attachment, that couldn’t be healthy.

Maybe it was just an indication the Order had to change. The war proved the Jedi could be flexible and change if the ends justified the means. Rather than suppress and release their feelings into the Force, using them to their advantage, _embracing_ them and the strength that came with them felt like the logical solution to him. If not for the Order as a whole, then he could at least apply the philosophy for himself.

After all, he was apparently meant to bring balance to the Force, surely he had to be more than just the quintessential Jedi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week will include more Obi-Wan, see you guys then. :)
> 
> As always, feel free to let me know your thoughts on this chapter/story if you want!


	4. The Path Ahead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan tries to make sense of what he's dragged himself into and his feelings. Key word being tries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter came out late (again), had to deal with some IRL stuff and my internet was down for a bit. Thanks for all the kudos and comments! :D
> 
> Btw, any mistakes here are mine since I wrote a large chunk of it at 1 in the morning. Hopefully I proofreaded it well enough.

Just over a week had passed since Obi-Wan had first arrived on Kalevala, and he found it strange, perhaps even a bit disturbing, how seamlessly he fit in with the rogue Mandalorians. Though in fairness, the Kryze sisters’ influence made the transition a lot easier. He by no means had any intentions of forming the same camaraderie with the Nite Owls (he wasn’t sure what to make of the name) as he did the Clones, far from it. But at the very least, he could trust them to be fierce and unwavering in battle and maybe have them watch his six at times. And honestly, that was all he could really ask for out of this temporary alliance.

The pull of the Order and of _Anakin_ tempted him from time to time, but he couldn’t break the promises he made here, not when he could prevent so much suffering while aiding Satine and her people in a time when no one else would. His other oath to complete the circle with Maul, a chapter he thought they concluded over a decade ago, only further reassured him that he was doing right by the Force itself, even if the Holonet news said otherwise.

Did his defiance make him unfit to hold the position of Jedi Master? Qui-Gon wouldn’t have thought so, but he couldn’t say the same for most of the Order.

The other bit of uncertainty revolved around Satine and where he stood with her. Recently, she spent much of her time with Korkie, though it wasn’t as if Obi-Wan hadn’t had his fair share of conversation with her. They had exchanged pleasantries and small talk plenty since arriving, but always seemed to tiptoe around the dewback in the room, which was the “talk” they had when he first rescued her. He wasn’t sure if it was out of embarrassment or because neither of them wanted to lead the other on, but still wondered all the same when, if ever, they would address it.

Combing a hand through his beard out of frustration, Obi-Wan couldn’t help but wonder when his life had become so riddled by uncertainty. He thought he would keep the peace like the Jedi of a thousand generations prior, maybe even train another Padawan, and live out his days with a sense of contentment knowing he did his due diligence. In other words, a normal life. How quickly things could change.

Now he wasn’t sure what quantified as normal.

Before he could dwell on it further, the sound of someone audibly clearing their throat caused him to snap up, allowing him to realize he had somehow wandered off to the dining room while lost in his thoughts. More notably, he was now face to face with the other sister, none other than Bo-Katan herself.

 _Great._ Just the person he wanted to see while his mind was muddled with internal dilemma. She seemed to take note of his somewhat standoffish approach quickly, though made no move to turn him away or beckon him forward in return. Instead, she eyed him with a hint of curiously, waiting for an explanation. Naturally, he felt obliged to give one.

“My apologies, Lady Bo-Katan,” he said eventually, breaking their ongoing staring contest. Hopefully, he didn’t sound as hasty as he felt. “I seem to have drifted off a bit there.”

“That happen a lot to you, Kenobi?” she asked, skepticism laced in her voice. Well, she was definitely Satine’s sister when it came to her dry, witty humor.

He sighed, not in the mood to explain himself in detail to her of all people, one of Satine’s usurpers. “It has become one recently, yes.”

“Well, we’ve all been there before,” she replied, a look of reminiscence on her face, though it was quickly masked by her usual stoic demeanor. “Why don’t you have a seat?” She gestured to the table before them. It was a long one, the type used for royal gatherings. Satine herself had probably sat here under better circumstances.

Despite his own misgivings about her and the situation, he nonetheless accepted her invitation, sliding into the chair next to her. The following moments were once again filled with silence, an inquisitive look on Bo-Katan’s face as she seemed to try and get a read on him. When he returned the glance, her gaze immediately averted, like he had just burned her with scalding water.

Finally, the younger of the Kryze sisters spoke up. “It’s good that you’re here. I was actually hoping to discuss something with you.”

“So you say,” Obi-Wan replied tentatively, unsure what she was getting at.

“We ran the numbers and compiled a database of potential allies and enemies for the upcoming battle. Have a look,” she said, handing a datapad to him. Obi-Wan scrolled freely through a plethora of profiles detailing basic strengths, weaknesses, capabilities, and loyalty status for every battle ready Mandalorian that could come into play.

“Impressive. The only problem I see is that Maul’s potential forces could outnumber us nearly two to one,” he observed, trying not to sound critical.

“It’s not a complete list yet anyway. Almec’s apparently enlisting civilians, so that could change things,” she cautioned. “Regardless, we’ll need additional forces to take Sundari and not let Maul escape, and you’re the only link we have there.”

“Are you suggesting a Republic invasion of Mandalore? I can’t imagine your people would be pleased by that,” he pointed out, handing the datapad back to her.

“They won’t be, but we don’t have many options the way things are,” she said darkly.

“And how exactly do you plan to get the Neutral Systems to sign off on this?”

“I don’t intend for them to.” Her bluntness caught Obi-Wan off guard as he sputtered in near disbelief over the admission. In response, she motioned to him in a placating fashion, requesting that he hear her out. He nodded, though still remained wary of the proposition. 

“Bringing in Republic forces will only be a last resort. For now, we just have to spread the word that Maul’s the one actually in charge. Plenty of clans will refuse to serve outsiders, and it could make some civilians hesitate if they’re asked to enlist. And after a while, we see where we’re at with this,” she said with a shake of the datapad, “and go from there.” 

Obi-Wan was impressed. He took Bo-Katan to be the shoot first, ask questions later type of military commando, but she was certainly keeping her options open. A flexible leader was good to have in situations like this.

“I’ll admit, that was more of a plan than I had expected. Did you run the idea by your sister first?” he asked, deflecting as he didn’t have to commit to supplying them with a platoon of soldiers just yet. Even if he had given his word, the odds of the Republic military and Senate authorizing such an operation were slim to none, especially after his recent stunt. He’d probably have to go rogue again and hope he could get enough Clones from his battalion to desert. Maybe even rack up another favor for Anakin by having him convince some members of the 501st to back them up. 

Bo-Katan nodded solemnly before responding. “I did. Why do you think I’m holding off instead of asking you to recruit them now?”

“I see,” Obi-Wan replied thoughtfully. So the two _had_ spoken on the matter, good to know. “I’m impressed the two of you managed to find a middle ground.”

“Oh, it wasn’t easy. Once she’s set on something, it’ll take moving the stars itself to convince her otherwise,” she said with a shake of the head. “But you would know that better than me.”

Obi-Wan gave her a puzzled look at that, her subtle implication not lost on him. Rather than dwell on it though, he opted instead to see if he could further bridge the gap between the sisters, carefully phrasing his next words. “How long has it been since you were on speaking terms with her?”

She tensed up then, the question serving as a reminder of her past, but perhaps the wrong parts of it given how her face sagged so slightly. He got the sense this was an extremely rare occasion for Bo-Katan Kryze, who ordinarily seemed to be your typical unflappable, battle ready leader in war. Personal matters were probably the last thing on her mind.

To her credit though, she didn’t shut down. “I was around fourteen when I left. The war on Mandalore had just ended, my sister was declared regent, our parents were dead, and the very thought of having Mandalorians lay down their arms made me sick because I knew nothing _but_ war. I still don’t,” she spoke with an anguish in her voice that cut deep. Obi-Wan remained silent, making himself a release valve for her, someone to vent to. 

“I never did understand her way of thinking. But I see now that it did pay dividends, at least before I screwed it up. She was right in that war can’t continue forever, Mandalore and the people will suffer, eventually to the point where there’s no one left to fight,” she continued with a sigh, uncertainty—no, _regret_ —on her face. “Hell, if I had my way, Mandalore would probably be fighting the Republic right now at its lowest point.”

Obi-Wan was taken aback by how much Bo-Katan had admitted to fault. He had opted to reserve judgment on her for the most part, but even he could tell initially that she wasn’t inherently a bad person at her core. Perhaps misguided and unable to see the big picture, sure. But not at all like the evil he had come across during the war. Beneath her intricate walls, there was a woman of sentiment that shined through on occasion. Factoring in her constant battle readiness and being a bit behind the uptake on certain aspects, he couldn’t help but draw the parallels to her and Anakin then.

He met her eyes once more, green pupils emanating tension. Did she fear ridicule for having confessed to her faults? Obi-Wan felt he was never one to be judgmental but understood the worry. Bo-Katan already didn’t seem like the most approachable person to begin with, her showing vulnerability and to a _Jedi_ of all people was a colossal leap for her to take.

Compassion and understanding seemed to be the best approach for him here. “What’s happened in the past will remain in the past. You can’t change that; all we can do is move forward and try to be better,” he advised her. “The difficult part is making that change last.”

“No kidding,” Bo-Katan snorted, trying to sound indifferent, though her features softened in agreement all the same. “Though given how much of a model citizen I’ve been, I don’t even know where to start making amends.”

“I’d say family would be a start,” he said carefully, gauging her reaction. Nothing yet. “Satine, Korkie, talk to them. Your bonds with them last forever, but you never know when it might be too late to say something.”

“Family…” she mused, considering the concept. “The Jedi are yours, I presume.”

A formality more than anything, but Obi-Wan felt compelled to confirm it anyhow. 

“They’ll always be in my heart,” he reaffirmed. “Though after all this is over... I’m not sure.”

She nodded in understanding and Obi-Wan thought that’d be the end of it. Though of course, it wasn’t. No situation ever tied up for him nowadays, so in retrospect, he shouldn't have been surprised. 

“I’ll talk to her,” she said, Obi-Wan waiting for the other shoe to drop. “But only if you do too. And I mean _really_ talk.”

 _There it is_. “And why would you want that?”

To his surprise, Bo-Katan Kryze actually laughed then, the sound somewhere in between a scoff and a chuckle. “Like you said, we’ve all got issues here. My sister’s waited twenty years for you. Besides, I think you both deserve each other at this point, Kenobi.”

Well, _that_ response was certainly a stark contrast to Anakin. He’d usually get teased over his attachment, but never so outright. He understood from the get-go that she wasn’t one to mince her words, though the way this conversation ended up as a result of it made Obi-Wan unsure if he wanted to talk to her more or less in the future. Because while the honesty was sobering in comparison to the double-edged words of politicians, he wasn’t sure if he could handle the bluntness that came with it, leaving no room to talk his way out of whatever subject came up.

Then again, he had all but walked into that trap when he spoke of waiting too long, he couldn’t really fault her there.

“I… very well then. I'll do it,” he settled on, thankful he hadn’t responded immediately out of embarrassment and made a fool of himself. Now, there was even a calm to his voice as he continued to speak. “Though truthfully, I’m not sure _how_. Your sister and I were always bound by duty, neither of us have spoken on different terms until recently. She had Mandalore and I had my own oaths to the Jedi and Republic.”

“Well, she’s not the Duchess anymore, and you’re… honestly, I’m not really too sure what you are,” she replied, face creased in thought. “Part time Jedi, I guess?”

“I suppose that’s one way to put it,” he said with a shrug.

She again laughed that half laugh at the casualness in his tone before shaking her head, probably from the absurd turn the conversation had taken. “You’re an interesting one, Kenobi. At least for a Jedi,” she added last second, cracking a smile as she stood up from the table. “Don’t ever lose that about yourself. But also, maybe take your own advice from time to time.”

At that, she swept out of the dining hall, Obi-Wan biting back any final remarks or comments from the sense of finality he got from it. One thing he noted in the brief time he knew her was that if Bo-Katan wanted the conversation to be over, it was over. Though he was glad it had ended then and that she hadn’t further pressed the issue like Anakin certainly would have. Perhaps he had rushed in drawing comparisons between the two. Bo-Katan had a nuance of depth to her, concealed away by her tough exterior, and a maturity that Anakin didn’t quite always exude, often at critical times when it was needed most.

Although it hadn’t been the discussion he’d been preparing for, Obi-Wan was glad it happened. It was a method of release for them both, a way to rehash old, untended wounds and understand each other better in the grand scheme of things. He found he resonated with the Mandalorian, and that he spoke to her not as a Jedi, but ultimately a peer.

With it, he also came to the conclusion that he could no longer be the right Jedi for the Order and Republic. If not for his desertion, then certainly because he was no longer acting in their best interests. Instead, Obi-Wan would just have to be himself. Though what he was outside of the Jedi, he was unsure. What did a person become when you strip away the fancy titles and designations, remove them from the only place they could truly call home, all while becoming disillusioned to the point where their perception of reality was nearly shattered?

He didn’t know. All he could do was trust in the Force, and with it, forge his own path outside the Jedi, apart from the Order. If nothing else, he would at least live out the rest of his days with his principles intact. Severing his ties now was probably for the best between the rules of war growing murkier by the day and the Order’s willingness to turn a blind eye to certain situations, bound by the Republic and Chancellor.

Because despite what he had told Anakin earlier, he knew there was no going back now. For both the Jedi as a whole and himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should be back to posting on Mondays next week, don't worry. As always, feel free to comment on this chapter/story as a whole, it's my pleasure reading them. :)


	5. Let's Talk About It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two couples attempt to talk through their ongoing issues, with varying levels of success.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, just managed to get this out in time, any mistakes are mine as always. Enjoy!

“I’m worried, Padmé.”

It was the first time Anakin had voiced his largely suppressed concerns to her in the near two weeks since Obi-Wan’s disappearance, and Padmé was glad for it. Between the Order and the war, which she knew firsthand was getting bloodier by the day, her husband was already having difficulties, though denied any problems given his Jedi status. His master and closest friend leaving couldn’t have helped in that regard.

“About Obi-Wan?” she replied calmly, hoping to entice him into elaborating. It was a basic hook, asking a question so simple, one felt the need to delve into it as much as they could. Arguably the simplest of methods to get others to divulge information in the Senate, but it did get results.

Fortunately, that was also the case here. “I haven’t heard from him at all since he called, the HoloNet is painting him as a traitor, there’s talk of the Separatists gaining ground because of it, and I can’t even sense him through the Force.”

“Ani, you know Obi-Wan can handle himself,” she reminded him gently. “Trust him like he trusted you.”

“I know, but… sometimes it just doesn’t feel like enough. I don’t get it. Why did he do any of this?”

The answer was obvious, painstakingly so, and it was in these moments she wished her husband wasn’t so _dense_.

“The same reason why I remember a certain Jedi Padawan tried to protect me from an assassin years ago,” she remarked with a smirk.

He looked to her thoughtfully at that. “You think? I mean, Obi-Wan’s totally in love with her, but I doubt he’d leave just so he could—”

“That’s not what I meant, Ani. Just being with her is probably enough for him.” she cut in. _Such a one-track mind._ “Regardless, I’m sure he had other reasons.”

“Like what? Even if he’s gonna go after Maul, it just doesn’t feel like Obi-Wan to leave the Clones like that. Not with the war at its peak.”

He had a point when it came to the Clones; Obi-Wan had been one of more adamant Jedi when it came to granting them even the most fundamental sentient being rights, a dogmatic, arduous process. Rather than focus on that, Padmé zeroed in on the topic of the war, her and Anakin both obviously unable to come up with another sufficient explanation for his departure.

She took care in formulating her next words, knowing how sensitive her husband could be with her views. “Maybe the war _was_ why he left.”

“Padmé, you know we had no choice,” he retorted as she had predicted. “If we let the Separatists leave, the Republic would’ve collapsed. And for Obi-Wan to leave when we’re so close to bringing it to an end…”

“Ani, we’ve discussed this before. There’s always a choice,” she replied softly, attempting to placate him once more. “The Jedi are supposed to be peacekeepers, but the negotiations have been practically nonexistent during this war.”

“You can’t reason with a droid, Padmé. Negotiations don’t exactly make for good propaganda anyway.”

“And subjugating planets to rejoin the Republic does?”

“You think I’m happy with it any more than you are?” Anakin shot back, his voice taking on an uneasy intensity. “We’re doing what we have to do. Dooku and Grievous aren’t just going to shut down the droid army overnight. Yes, we’re supposed to be peacekeepers, but it's like Palpatine said: There can’t be any order if we don’t fight for it.”

“Ani, of course he would say that. No one’s benefited more from the war than him.”

That gave him pause if only momentarily before reverting to his usual stance. “He was given his emergency powers democratically!”

“By the Senators he’s bought off, yes. And _democratically speaking_ , his time as Chancellor should’ve been over years ago. The only reason he’s still in office is because of the war _he_ initiated.”

He was quiet for a long time, giving Padmé the conviction she needed to continue. “I know he’s your friend, but I can’t just turn a blind eye to how the Republic’s suffered at his expense. And I’m not alone in thinking that.”

“What do you mean?” he looked at her inquisitively, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he was using the Force to read her then. 

She shut off her mind to that train of thought. Anakin’s connection to Palpatine was already a major conflict of interest with her movement to force the latter out of the Senate, and she simply couldn’t risk him warning the Supreme Chancellor of it, inadvertent or not. Really, she was fortunate he hadn’t already pieced things together.

“It’s okay. I don’t want you getting tangled up in the politics any more than you are already,” she said with a stubbornness to her voice, rolling over so that her back was to him.

“Padmé…” he was all but pleading to be let in, reaching for her gently. It took everything she had to not melt into his arms and confess altogether.

“Not now, Anakin. The Senate’s expecting me tomorrow, I’ll need all the sleep I can get for then,” she told him somewhat bashfully, immediately realizing this wouldn’t get through to him. In turn, she lowered her voice to hardly a quiver above a whisper. “You could use some too.”

Eventually, he relented. “… okay,” he replied with a nod, allowing her to exhale a highly anticipatory breath. “I understand.”

Murmuring thankfully in response, Padmé finally allowed her eyes to flutter shut then, taking the out to the conversation and running with it. She hadn’t been lying about needing the rest, though her other omission didn’t sit well with her. Leaks could not be risked, especially now with how much traction she and the likeminded individuals in the Senate had gained after Obi-Wan’s departure, but her heart still ached over the act regardless.

And as a result, she felt relieved knowing that Anakin would be sent back to the frontlines soon. Because as much as she wanted him back, it did neither of them any good to be arguing about the Republic in its current state, not when the fate of it could very well be decided within the next few weeks. Keeping a buffer between them, as difficult as it sounded, was probably for the best.

Neither of them could afford any further distractions at this point, it would work out better that way. _Everything will be fine._ At least that’s what she told herself.

Over and over again as the night went on.

* * *

Obi-Wan had wisely held off a little bit before talking to Satine, allowing himself one restless night to mull over his thoughts. Though that may have also been in part due to his sleeping arrangements, as he suspected sleeping on the floor would be a better alternative to the blasted excuse for a bed that had been provided to him. Regardless, sleep wasn’t the goal anyhow.

He was at least able to come to one conclusion that night. Loving Satine was never the issue, the tricky part lied in his decision to not act on it. While he had openly admitted he would’ve left for her once, that had been years ago as carefree teens, before responsibilities thrust them into their current positions.

And yet… that unrequited attraction had bloomed, fiercely so when they crossed paths again once more. Satine had all but confirmed similar feelings that fateful night on the _Coronet._

_I loved you since the moment you came to my aid all those years ago._

Yes, their love for one another had never been the question. It was all those years of putting duty over her that made him question if it would work, if _they_ would work. As such, his commitment to the capture of Maul had been a buffer, something to delay the once more inevitable choice between Satine and the Order. Even with his own qualms of what the latter had become, it was difficult to picture himself _staying,_ all while absconding his duties as Bo-Katan had suggested. 

After all, there was still a part of him holding out hope that once they were free from the war, the Jedi could reform, or at the very least determine just when things had gotten so fripped up, how they (and he by proxy) had strayed so far away from what the Order was intended to be.

Obi-Wan sighed, knowing further contemplation would do him no good. The only way forward was to confront the matter head on. And so, he found himself knocking gentlly on the door to Satine’s modest quarters at the first crack of dawn, hoping he could find strength in the Force for the conversation to ensue.

The doors slid open after a quick “Come in”, Satine eyeing him pensively at his arrival. It was almost enough for him to withdraw then and there, but he pushed on.

“Sorry… is this a good time?” he felt like a Padawan again with the apprehension in his voice. 

She raised a curious eyebrow in response, looking perplexed. “You’re always welcome to speak with me, Obi. Between you, Korkie, and Bo on occasion, I don’t exactly get many visitors these days.”

“Well, I figured it’d be best to ask first,” he quipped. _Ah yes, there was that charisma of the_ Negotiator. “How is the boy anyway?”

“About as you’d expect,” Satine replied, pursing her lips. “He’s practically glued to the Holonews for updates, clung to me and Bo since our escape, and kept to himself otherwise.”

“He’s okay, then,” It came out as more of a question than he would’ve liked.

“Relatively speaking, yes,” she shrugged in admittance. “Though I suppose okay is all one can ask for in these times.”

“That’s good,” Obi-Wan told her plainly, unsure what else to say in the situation. Rather than trust himself to think of something on the fly, he moved to sit next to her on the cot.

“Now then, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company today?” she remarked somewhat offhandedly, doing a complete turnaround. Obi-Wan was _not_ prepared for this.

“I… wanted to talk,” he said dumbly, wincing at his lack of tact. Why did it suddenly feel so difficult to just _talk_ with her?

“I already told you, you’re always welcome to speak with me, Obi,” she informed him soothingly, quelling his unease. She always did have a knack for reading him.

“I mean truly talk,” he clarified, resolve restored. “With all the discussion of battle tactics and launching offensives, I fear we may not get the chance again for a while.”

She stiffened then, clearly having not expected the topic to come up. However, her tone didn’t quite match the iciness of her following words. “What’s there left to talk about? We both know where we stand with one another,”

“Do we, now?” the words came out teasingly by nature, forcing him to clear his throat before continuing. “I’d like to hear your perspective on it.”

Satine sighed, her face filling with pensiveness at just the thought. “Obi…”

“I know me asking this of you isn’t entirely fair,” he told her, voice lowering another octave then. “But I do want to know. Please.”

Satine’s eyes finally rose to meet his then, though the apprehension hadn’t been driven from them fully. He could tell from the way she almost subconsciously bit her lip at his admission.

Eventually, she exhaled a long, resounding sigh, giving in. “Obi-Wan, you know how I feel about you. And I, you. But I never allowed myself to hope you’d leave for me, not even now. You committed your life to the Order, I couldn’t fathom being the reason you walked away from it all.”

Though her words were calm, the cracks in her voice betrayed her true feelings, feelings he was all too familiar with himself.

“Satine, it was never going to be your decision alone,” he told her gently. “If I had left, it would not have been in haste and we would have shared the burden of that choice together.”

“If only it were so easy,” she replied in an almost wistful manner, eyes now downcast at the thought. 

“Satine…” he reached out a hesitant hand, causing her to tense up at the contact. Considering she also did nothing to pull away however, Obi-Wan took it as a sign to continue.

“It can be if you want. Once this is all over, the future is in our hands.”

“It’s a nice thought,” she replied noncommittedly, not even entertaining the possibility. “But we both have our duties to attend to.”

He looked to her earnestly, hoping to convey his conviction. Truly. “I mean it, Satine.”

She studied him then, blue eyes searching his own for the barest hint of ingenuity. Obi-Wan knew she would find none.

“After all these years…” she murmured, thinking out loud. “Why now?”

That was the million-credit question, wasn’t it? In truth, there had been no astounding revelation that had swayed him one way or another the past week or so, nothing that should have gotten him to offer commitment of such magnitude. His recent experiences had only solidified his longstanding doubts, bringing truths he had buried deep within to the forefront of his mind. Reflecting on the Jedi and Republic as a whole from a different perspective was quite the eyeopener.

“The war has changed the Jedi and the Order as a whole, all of us. You know that,” he began, Satine nodding patiently for him to continue. “I never liked the idea of us being _generals_ to begin with, but once we stepped foot onto the battlefield, it was somehow even worse than I had imagined. The nonsensical bloodshed on both sides, the faux attempts at diplomacy, all while the threat of the Sith looms… I often questioned just what I was fighting for, if anything at all.”

“And with how far we’ve strayed from what the Jedi were intended to be, all I can do now is fight for what I think is right. For…” he hesitated, the words so precariously on the tip of his tongue. “For the people I care about. For you.”

Satine remained silent after his confession, eyeing him once more as if she didn’t dare allow herself to believe, to _hope_ , he’d drop everything for her. He couldn’t blame her, given how just about everything he had said just felt fundamentally _wrong_ coming out of his mouth, despite the truth behind it.

A thin smile had formed on her face, a glimmer in her eyes as she spoke. “You’re being serious.”

“I am.”

She scoffed at the plainness of his response briefly before turning somber. “What would you do otherwise?

“What?”

“Suppose I said no for some inane reason. What would you do then?”

Obi-Wan stroked his beard thoughtfully at the possibility of rejection, opting to be blunt about it. “I’m not sure. For the first time in a long time, I feel as though I have no clear path. The Force is… murky, riddled with the Dark Side. There may not be a place for Jedi Master Kenobi in the galaxy once this is over.”

“Or for a pacifist,” Satine voiced with a frown. “Regardless, I’m sure the Order would welcome you with open arms if you returned now. If you go through with this Obi, there’d be no going back.”

“I am aware of that.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m still here, aren’t I?” he replied wryly, unable to hide his smile then. 

“I just want to make sure you’re aware of what you’re getting yourself into,” she said, looking annoyed and yet also pleased by the teasing nature of his answer this time around. “My days as ruler of Mandalore are likely over now, no matter the result of the upcoming battle.”

“Well, nothing ever came easy for us. It’s only fitting for there to be no exception now,” he said casually, attempting to shrug off the gravity of his life changing decision.

“I suppose so, yes,” she replied, agreeing with him for once. It was a short-lived victory, as she almost immediately went back to questioning his determination. “Are you willing to endure the aftermath though?”

“Assuming you still want me around by then, of course I would,” he deadpanned, the quip earning him a sharp elbow. “It’d be imprudent of me not to.”

“Good. Because as much as I want to devote myself to you alone, I owe an unpayable debt to my people for letting them fall under the subjugation of Maul. And if I can’t pay it from a political standpoint, I can at the very least help pick up the pieces afterwards.”

“The needs of your people far outweigh my own,” Obi-Wan told her, echoing his sentiment long ago after disembarking the _Coronet_. “But until then, do you think we could…”

“We can try,” And just like that, Satine all but handwaved away any last remnant of doubt he had. Her caressing his cheek and smiling, smiling in acceptance of him and his choice, stirred emotion he had only felt in spurts for the past two decades. “Stay with me?”

His heart belonged to her, always. “I will. Today, I’m yours, Satine.”

Her smile grew impossibly bigger at that, and it was then Obi-Wan couldn’t resist any longer, closing the gap to press his lips to hers. Satine’s arms looped around her neck, the aggressive Mandalorian in her shining through as the kiss persisted. He doesn’t recall why he hadn’t given into these desires long ago, and he gets the sense the feeling’s mutual by the deliriousness behind Satine’s actions.

One day. They wouldn’t go all the way, force forbid the thought, but they would at least have one day of bliss before the storm.

And Obi-Wan would savor every last moment of it.

**END OF PART I**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I debated on having the kiss now or in a later chapter, but couldn't think of a scenario in which it wouldn't happen lol.


	6. Perilous Pursuits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka worries for her master's state of mind upon learning of an attack on the Jedi Temple. Obi-Wan finds himself in a similar position.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for this chapter coming out ridiculously late, this underwent several rewrites and some deletions altogether. It took a while for me to find the right way to convey what I wanted to, and I'm mostly satisfied with it now. Next chapter will be up earlier to partially compensate, sometime around Thursday/Friday depending on how fast I can proofread it to where I deem it to be publishable.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who comments, gives kudos, or even just plain clicks on the story, you guys helped keep me going when I wasn't sure how to proceed! 
> 
> Also, quick PSA: If your garage door breaks down, save yourself the trouble and hire a professional to fix it instead of trying to do it yourself. (unless of course, you are a professional) With that said, hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

**Part II: Reaching Out**

Ahsoka could tell her master was on edge leading both the 212th and 501st alike. She sensed a similar unease throughout the majority of her grandmaster’s battalion as they were briefed on their assignment to the battlefield of Cato Neimoidia. They worried for Obi-Wan out in the Outer Rim, worried for their general who had left without so much as a goodbye. Even Commander Cody looked grief-stricken in the brief moments his good soldier guise cracked. 

Yet despite how kriffing awful the situation felt, Ahsoka respected Obi-Wan’s choice. She had witnessed things far beyond her years since she had been thrust into battle as a Padawan, she had seen people break on the cold, unforgiving battlefield firsthand. Perhaps Obi-Wan had reached that breaking point himself recently. And if he believed he was better off fighting to liberate Mandalore rather than some Separatist front, she wouldn’t judge him for it. Though she suspected that wasn’t the only reason for his defection. 

The shared history between the Mandalorian Duchess and her grandmaster was not much of a secret to the rest of the Order, even before Skyguy had caught wind of it. She did have the pleasure of meeting the woman, who struck Ahsoka as the fierce type willing to get her hands dirty if needed, but those had only been fleeting first impressions. The finer details of their relationship remained a mystery, though she didn’t feel it was on a need to know basis like her master did at times.

Then again, she supposed Obi-Wan’s radio silence for the past few weeks spoke for itself when it came to his commitment. Anakin hadn’t even bothered attempting contact, knowing what his master’s answer would be if he was asked to come back. In fact, he had recently entrusted Ahsoka with his holo altogether, likely to eliminate any trace of lingering temptation. 

The only good thing to come of it all was the additional banter and comradery with more Clones in the mix; seeing Boil and Fives interact was simply a delight, while Cody and Rex were complete opposites in their mannerisms. Such silver linings and good things, in general, were few and far between these days.

As such, it didn’t surprise her as much as it should have when Anakin’s fighter started to lose control on account of those damned buzz droids. 

Quickly locating a suitable crash point against Artoo’s better judgment (but what choice did they have?), Ahsoka was able to eject him from the pilot seat safely, neither of them all that much worse for it. Anakin was easily roused to consciousness, likely out of fear for his astromech. 

“You sure you don’t want this back before you find yourself in another life-threatening situation?” she quipped, holo in hand. 

He shook his head as she had expected. _Stubborn as always, Skyguy._ “Hold onto it, Snips. I trust you with it more than anyone.”

“If you say so,” she said with a subtle twitch of her lekku, dropping the topic. They both knew the _real_ reason he wouldn’t, no sense in making a big deal out of it. “You owe me one for the save I made back there though.”

Anakin looked at her skeptically then. “I wasn’t aware we were keeping count.”

“We aren’t, but just thought I’d let you know now,” Ahsoka replied wryly. 

“Good, you had me worried there for a second,” She thought Anakin would’ve left it at that and diverted his attention back to the mission, but he surprised her by continuing the banter. “Because if we were, I think you’d owe me tenfold.”

“Oh, I don’t think—”

“Well let’s see. Cad Bane, Mortis the Trandoshans, I’d say the list is coming along,” he recounted with a knowing smile. “But hey, like you said, no one’s keeping count.”

Thankfully, before he could pile on, the holo— _his_ holo—strapped to her belt rang with an incoming transmission. Ahsoka had never been more grateful for an out to a conversation than in that moment.

Upon being greeted by the diminutive figure of Master Yoda, Anakin’s face sagged, clearly having hoped for Obi-Wan to have been the one to make contact. It was only a momentary lapse though, her master quickly adopting a solemn expression as he spoke with the Order’s Grandmaster. 

The temple had been bombed. _Bombed._ Ahsoka’s heart sank at the news. Somehow, things were only getting worse. They were instructed to investigate the crime scene, having been off-world at the time and therefore unbiased. It was a lifeless conversation that left her unnerved, despite having not spoken at all. 

Her mind was not to be silenced however, ideas and theories popping up despite herself, though none felt plausible. There was something felt… _off_ about it all. Malevolent. 

“Anakin, do you think whoever did this did it because… because…” Ahsoka didn’t finish, unsure herself of what reasoning she would’ve given. _Because of the war? Because of Obi-Wan?_

“I don’t know, Ahsoka,” Anakin sighed in frustration, another thing for her master to worry about on top of everything else. “We’re going to find out though.”

She only nodded in response, wondering if her master’s barely concealed unease was rubbing off on her. Hopefully, Anakin would keep a level head during the investigation, they were going to need it. Especially with Obi-Wan out of the picture. 

A thought occurred to her then. She could contact her grandmaster, inform him of what had happened, perhaps convince him to return for Anakin’s sake. She didn’t miss the way his eyes drooped ever so slightly in recent weeks, or how his movements were almost droid like at times. Not even a droid with personality, just… devoid of emotion, entirely lifeless like the super battle droids she sliced through without a second thought. Ever since Obi-Wan had left, it was rare for Anakin to banter with her as he had. 

It was a worthwhile thought, but it still didn’t take her long to decide against it regardless. Obi-Wan had made his decision; she would respect it. If he were to return, it would be on his terms once he sorted through his Mandalore business. 

As for Anakin…

Pressing the issue wasn’t the way to go; Ahsoka knew from experience that would only be counterproductive. Her master had outright _refused_ to meditate when she had suggested it, shutting down almost entirely with a coldness that she hadn’t felt since… since well, Mortis. From what little she could remember of it. By now, all she could do was hope the war came to an end soon, and that her master got the help he needed in time. 

She would be there for him when the day came.

* * *

Hardly even a day after he had unabashedly acted on his longstanding love for Satine, Obi-Wan found himself sparring with her sister for hours on end at the crack of dawn.

It was a strange world he lived in now.

Aside from attending the occasional meeting to discuss access points to Sundari or what zones they’d have to secure to be successful, Obi-Wan didn’t have much to do. The prospect of having so much free time was strangely liberating and yet also terrifying with the concern of complacency. Thus, to fill in at least part of the gaps where he didn’t convene with the Force (without much success) or Satine on the future of the galaxy alongside _their_ future if it were to come, he found himself refining his lightsaber skills for the duel that _was_ certainly on the horizon. 

Bo-Katan had offered to spar with him outside the base, apparently one of the more well versed in the clan when it came to swordsmanship. Despite the suboptimal wooden weaponry being used, Obi-Wan enjoyed it more than he had anticipated, purely because it gave off some modicum of normalcy. 

“Your form could use some work,” he observed, parrying her attempted jab. 

“On offense or defense?” she asked while struggling to withstand his series of counterattacks. Eventually, he broke through after going high, landing a hit on her abdomen before she could recover, one that would have skewered her in a real fight. 

“Both. Your relentless attacking style leaves you equally susceptible to a strong counter, while on defense, your reflexes are good, but your blocking technique can allow a skilled opponent to attack middle, as I just demonstrated,” he explained, offering her a hand up.

She took his advice with a surprising amount of grace being the prideful warrior she was. “How should we fix that then?”

“Against more skilled opponents? I’d suggest adopting a wider stance, you’ll be better equipped to defend yourself and you have the agility to compensate. Though in most cases, I think you’d be better off sticking to your usual weaponry, they’ll be of more use to you,” he advised. 

She shrugged in compliance, agreeing with his assessment. “I was planning as much anyway, blasters are way more practical.”

“Perhaps. But if that’s the case, why offer to spar with me?”

“You looked like you could use the practice. And besides,” she said almost matter-of-factly, casually lifting her stick over her shoulder, “you never know when it could come in handy.”

“Well, you’re right on the first count. I was a bit sluggish in my form today,” he replied sheepishly, all while opting not to focus on the second part of her reasoning. They both knew the only reason a Mandalorian would need to wield a lightsaber, and Obi-Wan was in no mood to discuss _that_ subject. At least not until the upcoming battle was won. 

“You still ready for this?” she inquired, apparently worried he was getting cold feet. 

He couldn’t blame her; the thought had frequented his mind plenty as of late. Obi-Wan knew he wouldn’t be able to outlast both Maul and Savage in a prolonged fight—especially with only one lightsaber—so he’d have to get creative. Maybe find a way to split the brothers up, much like Maul had done himself upon their first encounter. Though the _how_ to that plan escaped him. 

Truthfully, he had no intention of dying in this fight. Not after he had all but exchanged vows with Satine, the equally heavy promise of a future weighing on him. But at the same time, he wasn’t just going to give up either. He’d think of a way in time. 

“Yes,” he felt resolute in his answer, despite his doubts. “I made a promise to help liberate Mandalore, and I intend to keep it.”

“My sister put you up to that?” Bo-Katan asked innocuously as they walked inside.

“I did it of my own accord. Honestly, I think Satine was just happy to be alive at the time.”

She snorted. “Figures, you’re awfully sentimental for a Jedi, anyway. Karking match made in heaven, the two of you.” 

It was a rare occasion for Obi-Wan to be rendered speechless given his extensive experience with politicians, but Bo-Katan’s cavalier attitude certainly did the trick. Fortunately, he was bailed out moments later from having to engage in _that_ conversation. 

“Glad to know I have your approval, Bo,” Satine’s voice drifted coolly in the air as she strolled up to the two of them. Impeccable timing as usual. 

“All I’m saying is that you chose well,” she clarified, now seeming more self-conscious, eyes not quite meeting her sister’s.

“You always had an eloquent way of putting things,” Satine remarked coyly, eliciting a chuckle from Obi-Wan.

“Funny,” Bo-Katan’s tone had reverted to its usual monotony, though Obi-Wan could have sworn he saw the faintest hint of amusement in her annoyed expression. “But as fascinating as this conversation must be for you two, I assume there’s another reason you came to us the second we stepped inside.” 

Satine sobered up then with a sigh. “Well, I thought it’d be better to not start with the bad news,” Upon their expectant looks, she elaborated. “What I came to show you was this news piece the Holonet released last night. I… no one knows what it means yet really. Only that it’s not good.”

“What did it say?” Obi-Wan asked tentatively, the worry evident in Satine’s face. 

“I think you’d best see it for yourself, Obi.”

At that, Satine proceeded to lead them into the meeting room, where a holotable was up and running, as per usual. But rather than the usual headlines speculating on his departure from the Jedi, there was instead an even more sickening title on display. 

_“Jedi Temple Bombed; Suspect in Custody”_

The words simply didn’t feel real. A terror attack on the temple? Who had done it? _How_ had it been done? _Why?_ Did someone see… _opportunity_ after he had left in the way he did? Perceive the Jedi as vulnerable? He racked his mind for answers, no satisfactory ones emerging from it. 

Taking a breath to release part of his anguish so that it didn’t consume him then and there, Obi-Wan managed to read through the details of said bombing. The article was sorely lacking in names, for both the six victims who had been killed in the attack and whoever the bomber was. Early forensics and investigation determined nano-droids to be the cause, a much easier bomb to conceal. 

Having processed the information, Obi-Wan then turned to the sisters, Satine eyeing him quietly with a look of sympathy, while Bo-Katan remained impassive as usual. 

“Is this all the information we have on the matter?” he asked, trying to keep his voice level. 

Satine shook her head. “Another report suggests there’s a suspicion that the bomber wasn’t working alone, and that as such, the military will head the investigation since clones were harmed in the attack. 

“The military?” Force, this was turning worse by the second. Just when he thought the Jedi couldn’t become any more entwined with the Republic.

“If it’s any consolation,” Bo-Katan interjected while sifting through the reports he hadn’t read yet, “it says here that Skywalker was the one to catch the bomber.”

Upon that revelation, any doubt was swept away from Obi-Wan’s mind, his response almost instantaneous. “I have to go back.”

His statement was punctured by a prolonged silence as it sank in, Bo-Katan being the first to speak afterward. 

“Are you saying…” she trailed off, looking displeased at the prospect of his departure. 

“I have to go back,” he repeated, louder and more determined. “Someone made a direct attack on the Jedi right after I left, that can’t be a coincidence.”

“We need you, Kenobi,” Bo-Katan insisted, looking to Satine for backup. Upon getting none, she only doubled down on her argument. “You’re the only one here who can take out Maul.”

“But that won’t be for a while, will it? I’m not needed here in the meantime. And besides,” he rationalized, “I would’ve had to go back sooner or later to recruit the clones for our cause.”

Bo-Katan frowned at that, her way of conceding ever so slightly that someone else just maybe had a point. It faded as quickly as it came. “I still don’t like it. You really think the Republic will let you help us after you already deserted once?”

“I would hope so, yes,” he said, knowing full well it was a wishful thought at best. _May as well say it as it is._ “Though if they do force my hand, I’d personally hand in my resignation from both the Jedi Order and the Grand Army of the Republic. You have my word there.”

“But will your clones still accept you commanding them as a citizen? _Can they?_ ” she asked, a challenging tone to her voice.

Obi-Wan pondered the question briefly. “Yes, but not all of them. It’ll be enough to make a difference at the very least.”

To his surprise, Bo-Katan relented then, his answer seeming to satisfy her enough. “Do what you have to do. We’ll contact you once everything’s ready on our end.”

He simply nodded in agreement, opting not to push his luck. Just getting the Mandalorian to agree was considered a success in his eyes. Instead, he turned his attention to Satine, hoping her silence during their dispute wasn’t of the brooding type. 

“Satine, I—”

She cut him off, stepping forward to meet him with understanding eyes. “They need you Obi-Wan, just like I did all those times you came to my aid. Go.”

As if to punctuate her sentiment, she then pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. Her next words were but a faint whisper, meant for him and him alone. “I can wait a little longer.”

Aware this would likely be the last time he’d see her for a while, Obi-Wan couldn’t help but reciprocate the open intimacy. He could sense her momentary surprise at his arms encircling her in such an unrestrained manner, but it was swept away quickly by her returning the gesture. After what felt like only mere seconds to him, the two of them pulled back, staring intently at one another. No words were needed at that moment. 

Eventually, it passed. “I’ll be back before you know it, Satine. I promise.”

“I know,” she replied wistfully, before shifting to a more candid tone. “Maybe get a shave once you do?”

The comment was so Satine that he couldn’t help but good-naturedly despite himself. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here,” he compromised, unwilling to concede on that front entirely. At least not yet. 

“If you’re gonna be leaving,” Bo-Katan interrupted, eyeing the scene unphased, “I’d suggest getting a move on. Your ship’s hyperdrive is functional, but hardly in prime condition.”

That was news to him. Obi-Wan hadn’t even considered the state of his “borrowed” ship, given the assumption he’d be traveling in Mandalorian vessels for the foreseeable future. Still, it wasn’t too surprising to hear that it wasn’t working at full capacity, what with all the abrupt jumps he had made in and out of hyperspace during the rescue. He made a mental note to pay the owner of the craft extra once he returned for all the repairs that would have to be made. Plus, for the fact that it _did_ get the job done all things considered.

To Bo-Katan, he voiced none of this, instead merely asking how long the trip back to Coruscant would be with the complication. 

“Nine, ten standard hours, give or take? You should be there around nighttime if you leave soon,” she surmised with a shrug. 

“Yes, that would be well advised,” he said agreeably. “I suppose I best start preparing then.”

“Well, you can start with this,” Bo-Katan declared as she rummaged around in a locked compartment to reveal his lightsaber. 

Obi-Wan clipped the weapon to his belt with a brief thanks, the underlying sense of unease for what was to come ebbing away if ever slightly from the gesture. After exchanging further rather abrupt goodbyes, he set out to his small, nondescript ship that stood out like a sore thumb in contrast to all the Mandalorian class fighters and battleships. Bo-Katan had even suggested he take one for the trip back, the offer met by his declination, knowing it would only leave his loyalty to the Republic in question, perhaps even to the point of conspiracy.

Once the ship’s navigation calculated a suitable hyperspace route, Obi-Wan allowed himself to formulate a plan upon his return. After the service for the victims of the bombing that was currently taking place ended, he would contact Anakin—and eventually the Council—for the first time in over two weeks. 

He would be honest and confess he had no regrets for his recent actions. They deserved to know as much. How they would perceive his admission, the Council, in particular, Obi-Wan wasn’t sure. But truthfully, it wouldn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things. He had already chosen his path.

He would come back, do his part to unravel the truth behind the bombing, and go from there with the end goal in mind. Though one way or another, the next time he left Coruscant, it wouldn’t be as a Jedi. At least not in name. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think that in the right situation, Obi-Wan can be quite prone to rash decisions, especially when it comes to attachments. But feel free to let me know what you think about that sentiment and this chapter in general.
> 
> Next chapter: Obi-Wan returns to Coruscant just in time to witness the ensuing chaos.


	7. Reunification And Dissolution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan returns to Coruscant just in time for the chaos to unfold. Satine reflects on past events and what lies ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay to this chapter, it seems I overestimated my writing efficiency. Took a lot longer than I imagined it would. Hope you guys enjoy it nonetheless!

The funeral honoring the victims of the bombing had been sobering for Ahsoka. While she didn't know any of them personally, their losses still came as a gut punch, especially given how… open of an attack it was. Her heart went out to Barriss in particular; she couldn't imagine losing a close friend so abruptly, without closure.

So, while she did jump at the chance to aid in the investigation after Tarkin's initial offhanded dismissal of her, she took solace in being able to comfort her friend if only slightly before they parted ways.

During the trip to the prison facility where Letta was being held, Ahsoka curiously eyed Anakin's ringing holo strapped to her belt. Having just spoken with several members of the Council minutes ago, she assumed it was just a formal call to brief her on some oversight of information.

Once again however, it didn't turn out to be what she was expecting.

Obi-Wan looked somber, determination in his eyes as he spoke. "Anakin, I'm glad I—" he broke off upon realizing that he had not been greeted by a hologram of Anakin.

Ahsoka knew better than to feel slighted; whatever her grandmaster had risked contact for, it was clearly for Skyguy's benefit. Instead, she remained silent, giving him ample time to either disconnect the transmission or steer the conversation elsewhere. Once it was clear he would do neither, she furtively looked around the hanger of the transport shuttle she was in, checking for potential eavesdropping Clones.

None of them were paying any attention to her.

"Obi-Wan," she addressed him in a quiet yet firm voice, hoping to snap him out of his stupor.

"Sorry, Ahsoka," he said with a shake of his head, as sure enough, clarity and a hint of inquisitiveness replaced his apprehension. "I wasn't expecting you. Is Anakin there? I really do need to speak with him."

"He's not. I can take a message if you want though," she offered.

"Very well then. I just wanted to let him know—no, let you _both_ know—that I'll be returning to Coruscant shortly."

"You're coming back?" _That_ Ahsoka hadn't anticipated. A thought occurred to her then. "Wait, where have you been the past few weeks?"

Her grandmaster tensed up then, looking almost sheepish in his response. "It's a long story."

"I don't much time, so let's just hear the condensed version,"

"I've struck a tentative deal with a group of Mandalorians looking to take back Mandalore from Death Watch. You remember them," he explained, Ahsoka nodding.

"So why come back then?"

"I… saw the news of the bombing on the Holonet. Speaking of which, do you know who…" Obi-Wan trailed off, unable to finish that line of thought.

"Six in total," she confirmed somberly, before recognizing the double meaning behind his question. "I'm actually on my way to interrogate the suspect now."

Now she had his attention. "Really? I thought the military had taken over the investigation."

"Apparently, I was the only one she was willing to speak with," she said, attempting to downplay the implications of her statement. Nonetheless, Ahsoka was still unnerved.

Obi-Wan contemplated her words, pensively stroking his chin before replying. "Assuming it's not too much trouble, could you keep me informed? I'm afraid the Holonet didn't tell me much about the situation."

Ahsoka laughed softly at his admission despite herself. "Welcome to the club."

"Ahsoka—" he began, only for her to swiftly cut him off.

"I know. Don't worry, I'll let you know if anything important comes up," she said reassuringly, hoping to placate him.

"Good. I should be back by the night cycle on Coruscant. See you then."

Ahsoka simply nodded, taking this new information in stride as the call ended. Though a part of her couldn't but wonder how far in the Outer Rim her grandmaster had been if he needed nearly half a day to return.

As she entered the prison facility, Ahsoka willed herself to focus despite this latest development. If she got the interrogation right, she could very well uncover the truth behind the bombing. But if she got it wrong…

Well, they'd really just be back to square one. Nothing lost.

Or so she thought.

* * *

Satine watched the ship rise through the atmosphere, eyeing it until it was swallowed up by the extra-dimensional path of hyperspace. A sense of worry overcame her as she thought of the bouts Obi-Wan would have to overcome in the near future; she couldn't help it. The Jedi she had loved from afar for nearly two decades had a kind heart, selfless to a fault. Often to his own detriment.

It was then she reminded herself that Obi-Wan was a survivor, he'd do whatever it took to come to them, to _her_. And if there was anyone who could talk their way out of committing unsanctioned rescues in neutral systems against the Senate, it was her Jedi, despite his well-known disdain for politicians.

She let out an involuntary shudder then. Had it really only been days since his lips were on hers and he vowed to keep her safe for the rest of his life?

 _Rest of his life._ It was her one saving grace in a future plagued by uncertainty. For once, the Force had brought them together rather than parting them, though not without strings attached. Even if the impending attack was successful, Satine knew she wouldn't be reinstated as Duchess, the clans and people wouldn't stand for it in Mandalore's current state. It seemed more likely she'd live out the rest of her days with Obi-Wan as a citizen, selfishly taking the happiness she had denied herself all those years ago. _They could make it work._

A familiar voice brought her back to reality, echoing her thoughts. "He'll be back. Kenobi's not one to break his promises."

Bo. Her sister had become somewhat of an enigma to her since their reunion—or rather, what little of one they had in the past few weeks. She was trusted enough by her to sit in on strategy sessions and even be asked for input on certain topics, but aside from that, they hadn't _truly_ talked. Not since the civil war had ended, not since their parents had died.

She was just so radically different from the sister she had known growing up. Coming to terms with her actions as second in command of Death Watch was difficult to say the least. The same Death Watch who frequently committed terrorist attacks, who had staged several assassination attempts and a coup against her, and were the very embodiment of Mandalore's past. Brutal warriors with no regard for life but their own held together by a loose code of 'honor'.

Satine supposed that was something she would just have to live with. Their diverged pasts would never go away. If there was any hope of reconciliation between the two of them, it would have to start by them accepting one another.

To Bo, Satine didn't voice these thoughts. Hardly the time given that she was currently consoling her.

"I know," she replied with a nod. After an amicable silence had settled, Satine decided to venture further, perhaps start 'bridging the gap' as Obi-Wan had put it. "But after all that's happened recently, I can't help but worry for him."

"Yeah, guess that's my fault," she said apologetically. Upon a questioning look from Satine, she elaborated. "Everything that's happened to you, I mean."

"Maybe, maybe not," Satine said with a shrug. "Vizsla would've attempted to overthrow me one way or another. In fact, I suspect your relation to me was what stopped him from killing me outright."

It surprised her how casually the words flowed from her mouth as if she had just been discussing the weather. Bo certainly seemed caught off guard, doubt creeping up in her eyes. The silence between them began once more, though this time there wasn't quite the same levity to it.

"I'm sorry," Bo blurted out suddenly, much to her chagrin. She grimaced before continuing. "I always told myself that whatever I did to bring Mandalore back to its warrior ways, it would be worth it, damn the cost. We always survive. But now…"

Satine didn't say anything as her sister racked her mind for the words to say, silently urging her to continue.

"Now I wonder if there'll be any people to fight for once this is all over," she finished. "Seems like I got too ambitious for my own good."

Satine watched her sister carefully, sensing a change in the air after her confession.

"Where did all that come from?" she asked, trying to sound lighthearted, though nonetheless, a hint of wariness.

"Don't patronize me, sister," Bo told her derisively, before softening up ever so slightly. "I meant what I said earlier about making amends."

Satine shook her head. None of that mattered right now. All she saw at that moment was the old Bo-Katan, her sister who had been lost to her for years on end, as opposed to Bo-Katan the soldier. The remorse and regret she showed for her actions gave her hope. Hope that the path to reconciliation wouldn't be so rocky after all.

"I know you do. So do I," she confided, sensing they were on common ground for the first time in a long time. "You'll always be my sister, Bo, no matter what happens."

At that, Satine pulled her into a rather awkward hug, her sister initially stiffening at the contact, though it didn't take her long to reciprocate. Once the exchange was over, Satine rested a gentle hand on her shoulder, and she could tell Bo was somewhat bewildered by the gesture.

"You're forgiving me just like that?" she asked, uncertainty laced in her voice.

Satine nodded. "Maybe not _just like that._ I don't think I can ever fathom some of the things you've done, but I can look past it," she said, carefully choosing her words. "We've both made mistakes to bring us here, but I can see how much you've grown in spite of them. I'm still trying to myself."

She paused, trying to figure out what she wanted to convey. "For almost twenty years we've been fighting on opposite sides. I just want to know that I can trust you, that _we_ can rely on each other, regardless of the past. Can you do that?"

Bo's eyes were downcast upon her reply. "Yes, I owe it to you to at least try."

Satine didn't miss the implication of her sister's words, of how she probably felt obligated to stand by her side to atone for her actions. She couldn't have her thinking like that. "You don't _have_ to do anything for me, Bo. Just be my sister."

"Okay," This time, she didn't detect any hidden meaning behind it. "Okay, I will."

Satine knew that was all she would get out of her, smiling simply at her in response. "Good. I suppose I'll leave you back to your planning then."

At that, she turned on her heel and began the walk back to the compound. That is until Bo decided she didn't want the conversation to be over just yet.

"Satine!" she yelled, promptly drawing her attention. Bo hadn't addressed her by name in nearly twenty years. What she said next had a complete shift in tone. "He's going to come back."

"He will," she said simply, the response apparently satisfying her sister. An echo to the start of their conversation.

Nothing more was said as Satine made her way inside, knowing her words to be true.

What she didn't know was how long it'd be until they proved to be so. She hoped against hope the Force wouldn't keep them apart for long.

* * *

Ahsoka ran, cursing herself for how easily she had been incriminated.

The key card left next to her cell had been bait, that much she was able to decipher. Everything else, the dead Clones… it was all too much to think about.

She needed help. The only means of communication she had was Anakin's holo, which she had thankfully found strapped to the utility belt of one of the unconscious Clones. If anyone could help her out of the situation, it was Obi-Wan, the same man who had openly gone against the Council and the Republic as a whole just weeks ago. Relief came to her when he answered the transmission, though she still refused to slow her pace.

Before she could speak, the Clones in pursuit of her drew near, forcing to increase the pace of her run. Obi-Wan looked puzzled by their shouts to detain her, but Ahsoka made sure to get in the first word between them before the questions began.

"Obi-Wan, listen, someone framed me for killing the bomber and some Clones. I... I don't know why or how, or what's even happening!" she exclaimed, hating how vulnerable she sounded in the moment. She lowered her voice, both to not give away her position and to get through to him. "Please tell me you've made it back by now."

Sympathy replaced the confusion on his face, as well as determination. "My ship should be exiting hyperspace in a few minutes. Where are you? Actually, never mind, just activate the homing function on the holo."

"No time for that!" she replied hastily while searching for an exit to the facility. She could only do so many things at the same time.

"It's—"

 _"Ahsoka."_ If Anakin calling out to her didn't make her stop, his next words certainly did.

He begged her to stop running, to come with him. Obi-Wan in the hologram looked on with sadness in his eyes as she rejected her master. But what choice did she have?

"There should be a button on the bottom of the holo to activate it," Obi-Wan said, snapping her out of her thoughts. She followed his instructions to a tee. "Good, I've got your location now. Terminate the transmission for now, contact me once you're clear."

Ahsoka made a quick motion of agreement, the call ending there. Now she just had to find a way out of the facility...

* * *

Anakin didn't understand a lot of things.

He didn't understand why Padmé was so against the war when it was really their only option, or why Dooku seemed so fixated on him rather than the war itself, or why Obi-Wan abandoned his battalion, the Order, and _him_ in a blink of an eye. He didn't understand, but he at least could rationalize those things.

Ahsoka running, refusing to come with him, seeming preoccupied when he communicated to her through their force bond, almost as if she were talking to someone else… that he couldn't rationalize in the slightest.

He couldn't believe his eyes when she resisted capture once more, leaping into the industrial pipe system. Didn't she understand they weren't going to hurt her if she was innocent as she said? Unless… no, he couldn't consider the alternative.

The slight echo effect of the pipes made it easy for his augmented senses to pick up on her being engaged in conversation once more. He continued running, straining himself to hear just a snippet of her voice, a clue as to _who_ she was talking to. _A person she trusted even more than him._

"… underworld… meet… hurry… I'll be there."

Anakin gritted his teeth. Whoever this person was, he or she was clearly her escape plan. The only question was how.

Finally, he caught up to her at a dead end, her only route forward being the lower levels of Coruscant. _The underworld_ , he realized.

"Ahsoka…" he said in warning, uneasiness washing over him. "What are you doing?"

"You didn't even try to come and help me!" she accused.

"They wouldn't let me in to talk to you!" he replied in frustration, deciding to confront her directly. "But who _is_ helping you?"

"No one is helping me!"

"Then who was it you were just talking to, huh? Ahsoka, I believe you're innocent, but this doesn't make things look good for you," he pressed on before relenting slightly. "I couldn't force my way in to help you. It would only make you look more guilty."

"I'm not guilty!" she shot back.

"General Skywalker, do you have a location on Tano?" Commander Fox inquired.

He ignored it, focusing solely on Ahsoka. "I know, that's why we have to prove you're innocent," he said, sensing he was beginning to get through to her. "The only way we can do that is by going back."

Ahsoka sighed then, almost in resignation. "You were right before, Master."

"What do you mean, Ahsoka?" He felt a sense of foreboding enter his mind at how defeated she seemed.

"There _is_ someone helping me… and he's the only person I can trust right now."

"He?" he managed to sputter out.

Before he could press on, Ahsoka pressed a button on the holo strapped to her belt— _his_ holo—one used to start a transmission. As it came through, Anakin froze at the hologram of the person on the receiving end of the call.

"Ahsoka, we have to go!"

In conjecture with his voice, Obi-Wan's appearance practically sent him into a catatonic state, his brain unable to process this latest development. He felt incapable of moving as Ahsoka looked to him one last time, sadness in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Master."

Her leap off the ledge finally brought Anakin back to his senses as he rushed over to the edge of the pipeline. It was just in time to witness Ahsoka entering the cargo hold of a rundown freighter, the doors closing before he could even consider the thought of joining her.

The Clones that tracked him down immediately afterward couldn't get so much as a word out of him, his mind overloaded with questions. Truthfully, Anakin wasn't sure if he even wanted to correct them on their assumption that Ahsoka was now hiding out in the lower levels of Coruscant.

He wasn't sure of anything anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's that. Subscriptions, kudos, comments, I appreciate them all! Thanks to everyone who's stuck around despite my rather inconsistent schedule! :)


	8. The Heart Of The Problem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan and Ahsoka talk things out. Anakin is left reeling in the aftermath of his Padawan's escape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for 150 kudos on this story, appreciate all the support as always!
> 
> Without further ado, hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Obi-Wan wasn’t sure how he kept ending up in these kinds of situations. But as he maneuvered the ship as discreetly as he could afford to, a shaken Ahsoka in tow, a feeling of resoluteness coursed through him. Caught up in the moment, he hadn’t at all considered the consequences of his decision, simply trusting his instincts when Ahsoka’s distressed call came through. And despite this, Obi-Wan once again found it difficult to muster up any regret for what he had done. A recurring theme these days.

Knowing the closer and more conventional hyperspace lanes leading off-world would likely be cut off—or at the very least be on high alert—Obi-Wan opted to keep the ship confined to Coruscant’s skies for a little bit. While it zipped through the air, he waited for the right opportunity to break through the atmosphere for the impending jump. Though he also knew he couldn’t wait long, lest he give the military time to establish a _planet-wide_ blockade.

Fortunately, it didn’t long to find a path that suited their needs, Obi-Wan allowing for the ship’s navigation to do the rest of the work once they finally made it to hyperspace. The route he had chosen would be of a slight detour, but he didn’t mind. Another hyperspace jump to adjust their course would be required, which Obi-Wan had been planning anyway to throw off any potential pursuers. Besides, the extra hour or two didn’t make much of a difference when tacked onto the ten it took for the first half of his trip back to Coruscant.

Assured everything was on track, Obi-Wan allowed himself to head back to the cargo hold, chancing a look at Ahsoka who sat idly across from him. A small, green-lit communication device of sorts garnered the bulk of her attention, eyes narrowed in examination. It was at least an improvement over her initial condition. Following her aerobic leap into the ship, Ahsoka had unceremoniously flopped down on the nearest seat, a look of utter defeat and listlessness on her face. Aside from brief, timid one-word responses to his detailing of how they would elude the authorities, she had remained unnervingly silent during the initial escape.

Without warning, Ahsoka proceeded to crush the device in her hand, the act serving as a release valve for all she had endured over the past day. A myriad of emotions flooded her face then, though the clear as day grief and hurt was most telling. It was moments like these when he was reminded of the fact that she was still a Padawan, hardly even seventeen. The pureness she possessed… if Obi-Wan had any lingering doubts regarding her innocence, that in it of itself would’ve been enough to quash them. Because while he didn’t know the full context behind her arrest, Obi-Wan knew, he just _knew_ Ahsoka would never do any of the things she had allegedly been accused of.

Whoever set her up had done a masterful job, that much was clear.

Once Ahsoka seemed to sufficiently collect her wits, Obi-Wan tried to figure out the best way to go about briefing her on the situation without her shutting down. His eyes landed on the now shattered comm device on the tip of her fingers.

Well, as far as conversation starters went, he supposed he could do a lot worse.

“What is that thing?” he asked with a nod, deciding to keep his tone neutral for the time being.

“Nothing good,” she muttered back, indecision evident in her features. Though moments later, it broke, Ahsoka meeting his eyes for the first time since boarding. “I found it with my lightsabers on the ground after I got out of my cell, whoever set me up must’ve left it for me on purpose. If it’s a tracker…” she shook her head at the thought. “Better we don’t find out the hard way.”

A question rose to the forefront of Obi-Wan’s mind amidst her revelations, but he withheld it for the time being. Instead, he asked to have a look at the device with his own eyes. Though without an active signal, there wasn’t much to make of it. 

Obi-Wan pocketed the device then. It _was_ evidence, after all, something that could be used to prove Ahsoka’s innocence in time. Or even to locate the true culprit if repaired. Not that he blamed her for destroying it; without any encryption, it was too big a risk to take while on the run.

“Thank you,” Ahsoka said, quickly clarifying under Obi-Wan’s questioning gaze. Like Anakin, silence had never been her style. “For helping me when I asked.”

“Well, I couldn’t just leave you to be wrongfully accused,” he replied half-jokingly, trying to play it off. Nonetheless, a shudder ran through him as he briefly pondered how things would have played out had he not been in a position to provide aid.

She scoffed. “Seems like you’re the only one who thought that way. Anakin…” a pained look washed over her then.

“Anakin’s hands were tied, he was just doing what he had to do,” he gently reminded her. “Dozens of Clones were flanking him for orders, he couldn’t risk breaking protocol to help you.”

“You did,” Ahsoka pointed out.

“It was more so a case of right place, right time for me,” Obi-Wan said with a shrug, before adding, “Besides, I haven’t really been the exemplary Jedi as of late.”

“When _did_ you become the rule breaker between the two of you?” Ahsoka mused, smiling genuinely for the first time.

“Believe me, I’m still trying to figure that one out myself,” Obi-Wan replied. “But with Satine in danger, I suppose that was all it took to awaken my inner streak of rebelliousness.”

Ahsoka’s eyes widened at the mention of Satine. “Is she…”

“She’s safe, Ahsoka. I got her out in time.”

“Thank the Force for that,” she murmured before smiling inwardly at Obi-Wan, something having occurred to her. “But you, rebellious?”

“Well, where else could you and Anakin have gotten it from?” he countered. “If not rebellious, how would you explain my actions over these past few weeks?”

“Master, all I saw were the actions of a man in love,” she deadpanned, Obi-Wan startling at her sudden shift in tone.

A rush of heat threatened to consume him then, which Obi-Wan had thankfully managed to hold at bay. But even then, his silence and initial surprise were enough to confirm her suspicions.

“So, it’s true,” she said, eyes wide as the floodgates opened.

“Ahsoka—" 

“No wonder half the army had bets on it! Anakin’s gonna be… _Anakin,_ ” she deflated, her master’s name coming out as a whisper the second time.

Obi-Wan placed what he hoped to be a reassuring hand on her shoulder, asking the question they both knew the answer to, but one that had to be asked, nonetheless. “Are you alright?”

“I just forgot…” Ahsoka sighed, coming to terms with the reality of the situation then. “We can’t go back.”

A statement, not a question, but Obi-Wan felt compelled to confirm it anyhow. “No, we can’t. By morning on Coruscant, we’ll likely be branded as conspirators, expelled from the Republic.”

Ahsoka took the information better than he had anticipated. Though perhaps it was just a matter of her reaching the point where nothing came as a surprise. Obi-Wan had certainly been there over the past few weeks.

“So, what happens now then?” she asked, a mix of curiosity and apprehension on her face. “Where are we going?”

“Kalevala. The renegade Mandalorians have assembled a base of operations there. I’d say it’s our best bet of lying low outside of the Republic. Aside from one other option,” he explained, hoping to quickly shoot down said option to her. “But you wouldn’t like it.”

“Who?”

“Hondo Ohnaka. I—”

“Ugh. Yeah, let’s not go there,” she recoiled as expected, just as something else occurred to her then. “Wait, you’ve been hiding out from Mandalorians, from the _Death Watch_ , on the only other planet in the Mandalore system?”

“There are other systems in the Mandalore sector,” Obi-Wan pointed out. “I found it to be a bit an odd choice as well, but it was probably the best they could do on short notice.”

“As long as no one has their blasters pointed at me, I think I can live with it.”

“They managed to put up with me for this long. If anything, they’ll probably welcome you with open arms,” he told her almost matter-of-factly. _For more reasons than one._ Though all he added was, “We’ll hide and regroup for a bit, then do what we have to do from there.”

Ahsoka nodded, the tension she had been emanating so heavily since her arrival dissipating at his affirmation. Obi-Wan moved to stand next to her then, giving what he hoped to be a reassuring smile. After all that had happened, he could only imagine how exhausted she was now that any last traces of an adrenaline rush had likely worn off.

“Get some rest, Ahsoka. It’ll be a while before we land. Twelve hours, to be exact,” he informed, resting a hand on her shoulder momentarily.

Her eyes flitted to his then, inquisitive and free-flowing like he was used to. “Have you kissed her?”

Obi-Wan made a split-second decision then, opting to appease her curiosity. If only to prevent at least _some_ of her future questioning on the subject.

“Yes, I have kissed her,” he replied rather candidly as if it were everyday news. Upon her brightened expression, he raised his hands in a placating manner, not wanting to go down _that_ road just yet. “I can provide you with details later if you so insist, but take it easy for the time being.”

“Alright. I’ll try and sleep, but no promises. Already got my fair share in prison,” she told him, conceding about as much as Obi-Wan had expected.

“If you need me, just shout. I’ll be in the cockpit overseeing our course.”

With that, it wasn’t long before she withdrew into unconsciousness, leaving Obi-Wan alone to reflect on the day’s events. Now that they were out of the fire, he realized just how poorly his return trip to Coruscant had turned out.

While he had accepted and even planned for it to be his last in a long time, he had been under the assumption he would leave the Republic capital of his own volition. Not through circumstances out of his control.

More so, he had been unable to get out so much as a word to the people he wanted to speak with. Anakin and his wellbeing had been one of the primary motivators for him to come back, and now his former Padawan was no doubt left even more confused and hurt by his sudden coming and going. He much less didn’t get a chance with the Council, who would have no choice but to exonerate him once word got out regarding his role in Ahsoka’s escape. As for the Clones, any chance of convincing them to sway the tide in Mandalore’s civil war was lost after how things had transpired.

But even then, one look at Ahsoka’s now still form was all it took to reassure Obi-Wan he had done the right thing. And if the Order and Republic would disown them both because of it, then so be it. He’d simply have to fight harder in the upcoming battle to compensate for their lacking numbers and hope everything else on the Republic’s end would sort itself out eventually.

It was time to move forward, to work with and accept this new reality. Pulling out his holo, Obi-Wan quickly moved to contact home base on Kalevala, preparing himself for Bo-Katan’s ire once he broke all the bad news to her and Satine. Still, better to get it over with now than later.

Later would be much, much worse.

Anakin couldn’t believe how quickly his world had flipped on its head. Just minutes ago, the Chancellor announced that in a near unanimous vote by the Senate, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan would be expelled from the Republic under charges of treason and conspiracy. This just hours after the Order had ousted them both for similar reasons. But despite the wave of anger that threatened to consume him then, Anakin only felt numbness.

After all, _he_ was the reason word of Obi-Wan’s involvement in the escape had become public knowledge. _He_ had been the one to out Obi-Wan to the temple guards and the Council upon interrogation. In the moment, it was felt right, because truthfully, he was just tired of it all. Tired of the lies, the never-ending loop of hurt and confusion they caused, not wanting anyone to feel what he had felt when Ahsoka rejected him.

So instead, he had betrayed and all but sentenced the man he considered to be a father—and an even greater Jedi—to bounty hunting lists for the rest of his life, if he was lucky. If not… Anakin tried to not to think about that.

Everyone in the Council chambers had been surprised by his revelation, some even to the point of outright denial. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been asked so persistently for confirmation. Throughout the meeting, Masters Yoda and Windu exchanged subtle looks, and if he hadn’t been able to pick up on their undertones of worry through the Force, it had certainly been evident in their words.

_“Great care, we must take,” the Grandmaster of the Order had cautioned. “A dark cloud, this will hang over the Republic. Understand fully the situation, we may not.”_

_“We must prepare for the worst. The Senate will be demanding answers soon,” Windu agreed. “Skywalker, do you have anything to add?”_

_“No, Masters. I think I’ve said all that needs to be said.”_

He wished he had said more, to trust Obi-Wan and Ahsoka both and not leave their fate to the grubby hands of the Senate and its politicians. Really, the outcome shouldn’t have been all that surprising to him. And yet, here he was, staring dumbfoundedly at the feed that had just extinguished any possibility of his Master and Padawan being exonerated, the latter of which he had oh so foolishly promised to help in doing so.

Without them, two of the few constants Anakin had in his life, he simply felt… empty. Like he had lost a part of himself. Seeing their faces on a wanted list was the dagger to the heart though, reminding him just how _real_ it all was.

 _Running away might have been her best option, after all,_ Anakin realized, a sick feeling stirring in his stomach at the thought. The evidence, though somewhat circumstantial, was just too much for Ahsoka to argue her case on trial, assuming she would have even been granted the luxury of one.

Her and Obi-Wan had given up any chance of normal life in the Republic under the firm belief of her innocence, helping them in proving it was the least he could do. Thus, he found himself moving with purpose to the Chancellor’s office, ignoring the protests of his advisors and guards. If there was anyone who could get the Senate to overturn their decision, it was him. 

Palpatine himself looked surprised by his sudden entry, though remained cordial in his greeting. “General Skywalker, what brings you here to my office?”

His mouth suddenly went dry, unsure of how to put his thoughts into words. “I… wanted to speak with you about the Senate’s recent ruling, Chancellor. I’m sorry for intruding like this, but—”

Palpatine simply waved this off. “Nonsense. You’ll always be welcome to speak with me, Anakin, especially during such confusing times,” he said softly. “I give you my condolences, this can’t be easy for you.”

“Thank you, Chancellor. I just can’t believe how quickly it all happened. The evidence incriminating Ahsoka hardly seemed conclusive.”

He hadn’t meant for his all his inner venting to slip out, but to his surprise, Palpatine didn’t ridicule him or dismiss it outright.

“You believe someone else was responsible?”

“I… maybe. Something about it just feels wrong, I can feel it through the Force.”

“The Force, of course,” Palpatine replied, looking thoughtful. “A shame there aren’t any force-sensitives on the Senate, things would be much easier if they possessed even the average Jedi’s foresight and intuition.”

Anakin shook his head at that. “These feelings, they come almost at random, I can’t control them. Sometimes they only serve to confuse me, more of a burden than a gift.”

“Always trust your instincts, Anakin,” the Chancellor reminded him. “What do they tell you?”

“… that Ahsoka’s innocent, someone set her up.”

“Hmm. It would not be the first time someone was wrongfully convicted, nor would it be the last. The possibility is certainly something to consider.”

“You agree with me?” Anakin asked, skeptical. Why hadn’t he made the case go to trial, or at least have the military patch up the audio on the recording of Ahsoka choking Letta? _Something_ other than leaving her and Obi-Wan’s fate up to a bunch of faceless Senators?

“Anakin, I’ve had a seat on the Senate long before you were born, seen so many representatives come and go. And yet there remains one constant: The Republic preaches democracy and peace, only to blatantly ignore injustices taking place right before their eyes. You would know that better than anyone,” he explained. “I’ve worked to rectify things during my time as Chancellor, but the problems are so deeply rooted, it’s almost impossible to exterminate at its core.”

Anakin felt immediate regret for even _thinking_ the thoughts he had. Palpatine was doing what he could, having stepped into leadership of such an imbalanced Republic flawed by nature. “You’ve done a great job. The war will be over soon, and the Republic more united than ever.”

Palpatine nodded in agreement. “And what will you do once the time comes?”

Anakin looked out the window to the busy skyline of Coruscant. A world—no, a _galaxy_ of opportunity out there. And yet, he’d be confined to one lone temple for much of his days once the Clone Wars ended.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “Commit to being a better Jedi, I guess. But maybe there’s another path out there for me.”

Palpatine raised his eyebrows curiously at his confession, one Anakin himself didn’t know to be true until he had said it out loud. “Really? What would this path entail?”

“I don’t know,” he said once more, thinking of what he could rule out. “Definitely not politics, so don’t worry about having to see more of me. But staying at the Temple… it wouldn’t be the same without Mas—er, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. Assuming you can’t pardon them, of course.”

“I’m afraid not. Even as Supreme Chancellor, I cannot overrule the votes of democracy.”

“Figures,” Anakin said with a snort, trying not to seem dismayed and failing utterly. “I didn't mean that.”

“No need to apologize. As I said before, Anakin, there’s a part of me that agrees with you, but this is the system we were given. It’s simply a matter of making the best of it.”

Anakin nodded as Palpatine continued, “Remember, your friends had a choice, just as you do. Your own happiness should always come before duty, you can’t be expected to perform otherwise. Choose carefully.”

He thanked him, apologizing once more for his unsanctioned visit, to which the Chancellor said was of no inconvenience as usual. It was relieving to have him as a confident, someone he could ask for advice who wouldn’t just read off a section of the Jedi Code in response as most of the Jedi Masters in the temple would.

Palpatine was right; there was always a choice, but whether Anakin would be the one to make it was another question entirely. If the Council got wise and asked him to choose between the Order and Padmé, that wouldn’t be his choice. But otherwise, once the war ended and the day came where his trials to become Jedi Master were completed… two paths would be laid out in front of him.

Either stay with the Order or leave, maybe even to start a family of his own. It was a dream he had envisioned for quite some time, but never did he allow himself to think of it truly coming to pass. With Ahsoka and Obi-Wan gone and the true perpetrator likely having covered their tracks by now, he’d carry their losses with him every day, but his heart, on the other hand, belonged to Padmé alone now. In that moment, he realized there really was no decision to be made in that regard.

If he had to choose, he would follow his heart. Without question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Anakin, always brooding and making poor decisions. Still love you anyway.
> 
> Until next time :)


	9. Another Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Discussions are had between several parties, their plans changing along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeesh, sorry about the long delay to this one. I rewrote this chapter a good 4 times before finding some modicum of satisfaction, taking some breaks in between. I'll try to get next chapter out by around this Thursday or Friday (yeah, I know you've heard that one before). Hopefully, I can get back to some level of consistency now that I have a vague outline for this portion of the fic.
> 
> Anyhow, that's enough exposition. Hope you guys enjoy this one!

Satine stood solemnly, awaiting Obi-Wan’s return alongside Bo and an escort of former Death Watch soldiers. His call explaining how things had “quickly gone to shavit” on Coruscant threw a major wrench into whatever plans they had for getting Republic aid. Thankfully, Bo had the presence of mind to withhold any reprimands during his update, though Satine suspected it was in part due to the other Jedi that now accompanied him.

Ahsoka Tano had been instrumental to Satine once upon a time in uncovering Almec’s black market dealings along with the shortcomings of her own government. Though too little too late considering the election for a new Prime Minister hadn’t even begun before she herself had been ousted in turn. The Togruta was reliable, kind, and fierce at all once, a good person at heart who Obi-Wan chose to protect rather than allow to be wrongfully incriminated. A justified act, Bo seeming to agree given her surprisingly cordial tone throughout the transmission.

Naturally, it was short-lived as her sister let loose her frustrations afterward, waking up nearly the entire base with how she stomped through the compound in search of the wooden training sticks she and Obi-Wan had previously sparred with. Minutes stretched onward with Satine’s constant assurances that the siege was still plausible without Republic forces, and that Obi-Wan had made the right choice. All while Bo practiced saber combat against training dummies, her responses typically short and stilted with the occasional rant of how their battle tactics would be affected. She wasn’t sure which was worse, honestly.

Eventually, Bo managed to level out somewhat after Satine joined her for a sparring session of her own, which she figured was all she could ask for from that interaction. Ceasing any remaining arguments to return to her quarters, Satine didn’t even try to sleep with the day cycle rapidly approaching. Instead, she merely sat in contemplation of the night’s events.

The Holonet later denouncing the two Jedi as traitors only solidified how _real_ it all was. There was no going back for any of them now, with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka exiled, and Satine herself likely removed from the throne for the rest of her days. A selfish part of her was glad that Obi-Wan had chosen her over the Order beforehand, back when there was still a choice to be had. The doubt that would have lingered in her mind otherwise very well may have consumed her over time.

As such, it took a great deal of restraint for Satine to remain still once the ramp to his ship had lowered. Obi-Wan escorted a tentative Ahsoka out by the arm, the Togruta looking everywhere except for the welcome party. Eyes darting to hers, her Jedi managed a small smile and nod before Bo stepped forward to greet them, helmet off. Satine took it as her cue to do the same.

“Glad you’re back in one piece. Is this—" her sister clammed up then, the curtness in her voice receding as recognition filled her eyes. Satine looked to Obi-Wan, who merely gave a shrug in return, indicating he hadn’t been clued in on any prior history between the two.

Unsurprisingly, Bo recovered quickly from her initial shock. “Hey, kid,” she offered, a far too casual greeting for her standards. “How’s your betrothed?”

The young padawan startled slightly at the quip before fatigue swept through her face. “My name is Ahsoka,” she replied tiredly, clearly not in the right mindset to engage in conversation.

Obi-Wan cut in then. “Betrothed?”

“We met before on Carlac,” Bo supplied. “Kid claimed she was engaged to a Separatist, so it came as quite the surprise when she turned out to be a Jedi.”

“So, you two are familiar with one another then.”

“Not exactly on the best of terms,” she admitted. “Sorry about trying to kill you, by the way.”

Ahsoka eyed Bo tentatively at that, wary of her apology. “You burned down a village and condemned innocents to die the last time we met.”

This revelation didn’t come as much of a surprise to Satine, given that she had only been privy to but a fraction of Death Watch’s crimes over the years. It certainly wasn’t a talking point they would bring up regularly either.

To her surprise, it was Obi-Wan who stepped in to defend her sister then. “We can trust them, Ahsoka,” he said, giving her a meaningful look. After the briefest of stares, the two of them nodded, an understanding reached through the Force, she presumed.

“Alright, I guess I can forgive you for checking me out then,” Ahsoka said wryly, satisfaction on her face as Bo lost her bluster, at a complete loss for words.

“Bo?” Satine inquired, hoping she didn’t sound as incredulous as she felt. Surely it wasn’t as Ahsoka made it sound…

“It was just a hazing ritual,” her sister waved off dismissively. “Had to size the kid up a bit, see what the other one saw in her.”

“The ‘kid’ is standing right here, you know,” Ahsoka retorted, some slyness to her reminder. “It’s fine though, I got you back later anyway.”

Bo scowled at her claim. “That fight was hardly fought on even terms and I was outnumbered.”

“My allies were an astromech droid and a Separatist with no combat experience, plus _you_ got the jump on me. If anything, I’d say you had the upper hand and still lost.”

“Barely,” Bo said with a snort, the closest she’d come to conceding in such a debate. “Consider it your initiation if you will.”

Satine shot her sister a look, warning her not to go any further. If Ahsoka were to join the fight, it would have to be of her own volition, not because of them coercing her into it.

“Initiation?” Ahsoka repeated, clarity filling her eyes then. “You mean for the war on Mandalore.”

Satine only upped the intensity of her gaze, unwilling to back down despite Ahsoka filling in the blanks on her own. Obi-Wan, bless his ever-attentive mind, stepped in once it was clear neither of them would continue the conversation.

“I briefed her on the situation on our way here,” he elaborated. “But we haven’t exactly decided whether—”

“I’m going, Master,” she cut in, surprising them all.

“Ahsoka—” she and Obi-Wan both attempted to dissuade her then, but to no avail. Bo simply stood silently to the side, though Satine swore she made out the smallest hint of a self-satisfied smirk on her face.

“It’s my choice,” she reaffirmed, silencing them both. “Obi-Wan, you helped me when no one else would, and gave up everything in doing so.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say _everything_ —” he began, a myriad of feelings arising in Satine just from the passing glance he gave her.

“ _Basically_ everything,” Ahsoka compromised, her face softening then. “I want this. I want to help you, all of you.”

“Besides, without the Clones, you’re gonna need all the help you can get,” she added earnestly, an attempt at injecting levity into the situation.

The three of them remained silent, mulling over these admissions. Having heard from Obi-Wan what Ahsoka had been subjected to just hours ago, Satine was simultaneously impressed yet worried by her mental fortitude to continue fighting despite everything. It teetered on the edge of a dangerous path for the now former padawan, having not yet fully understood the strength it took _not_ to fight, just as Satine herself hadn’t long ago. Still, the purity behind her words and intentions were clear as day, her willingness to fight for others unwavering. And who had the right to deny her that?

No one did, certainly not her or Bo. It was ultimately her choice to be made. Obi-Wan’s face simply emulated confliction as he wrestled internally with how to approach the situation.

Finally, he let out a sigh of resignation, putting a reassuring hand on Ahsoka’s shoulder as opposed to arguing further. “If that’s what you want.”

“It is,” she replied with a nod. “I can’t just stay back from the fight knowing I can make a difference.”

Obi-Wan simply nodded to that, albeit somewhat reluctantly, Satine noted.

Sensing the shift in tone, Bo promptly interjected. “I’ll… take you to your quarters now,” she said, before correcting herself on her assumption. “As long as that’s okay with you.”

To her surprise, Ahsoka agreed without issue, perhaps even amicably at that. “Lead the way.”

“Great. We can discuss battle tactics and all that kark later if you want,” Bo told her, looking relieved by her agreement. At that, they promptly headed off to base, her sister shooting her one last glance before leaving.

Aware of the other Mandalorians still within hearing of her and Obi-Wan, Satine motioned for him to move along, citing her need for a walk. Thankfully, he picked up on her intentions relatively quick, following her strides without issue.

Once they were what she deemed a comfortable distance away, Satine was perhaps a bit on the nose in her queries for Obi-Wan’s tastes. But then again, formalities were long beyond them by now; they had all but slept together a few nights ago.

“You’re worried about her. You want to keep her far away from the conflict.”

He eyed her then, seeming genuinely impressed by her intuition. “You know, in moments like these, I question your level of force sensitivity.”

“Intuition does not necessarily require the Force, Master Jedi,” she replied coyly.

“If that’s the case, I’m even more unnerved by your adeptness at it.”

“One doesn’t survive in politics without being able to read people,” she replied, making a show of slowing her pace then to lock eyes with him. “Don’t deflect. Talk to me, Obi.”

Her words seemed to resonate with him, Obi-Wan stopping to return the look. To her surprise, it took but a few seconds for him to relent.

“I just feel… uneasy bringing her along, you were right on that count,” he admitted, the cool, collected attitude he exuded earlier gone entirely. “Practically speaking, I’d be glad to have her watching my back, but after what she’s been through… she shouldn’t have to fight another war so soon.”

“She shouldn’t. And neither should you,” Satine raised a placating hand before Obi-Wan could argue the point, silently asking him to let her continue. His consenting nod came as a relief. “You have both made your choices though, now it’s a matter of making the best of them.”

“I know. Truthfully, I’m not sure I’d be able to stop her if I wanted to.”

Satine recalled Ahsoka’s resolve when she had helped to uncover and detain Almec. The fire of youth. “No, I don’t think you could.”

Obi-Wan let out a soft chuckle then, the sound like music to Satine’s ears. Naturally, she wanted to know what caused it. “What?” she asked.

“You know, when Anakin and I first met her on Christophsis, he thought Ahsoka was supposed to be _my_ Padawan,” he reminisced, shaking his head at the thought. “I guess he turned out to be right in a way.”

“The Force works in mysterious ways, you told me so yourself,” Satine pointed out. “Perhaps by saving Ahsoka, you’ve given us the edge we need to win this war.”

“‘We?’” he repeated in confusion. “When did you become so keen on fighting things out?”

Satine herself hadn’t been aware of her choice of words; they had flowed so naturally, without a second thought. Maybe Bo was rubbing off on her more than she had realized. Of course, her overall mindset didn’t change, as much as she begrudgingly knew violence was necessary for the situation.

“I’m not. But the fate of Mandalore will be irrevocably affected by the outcome of this battle regardless. It’s imperative I commit to it without doubt clouding my mind.”

“You’re not about to head out on the front lines too, are you?” Obi-Wan inquired, looking far more displeased at that thought.

“Of course not. I’ll be right here, waiting to be shuttled to Mandalore upon victory, whatever that means at this point.”

“Satine…” They hadn’t broached the topic of Mandalore’s uncertain future often, even in private, but Obi-Wan knew how much it troubled her. Yet now she brought it up unprompted.

He reached to clasp her hand in his. “We’ll figure this out, I promise. No matter where you stand in Mandalore once this is over.” 

“It’s not just that. One way or another, some remnant of Death Watch will be in control of Mandalore after the conflict,” She frowned at the thought before continuing. “I spent so many years trying to change the planet for the better, and to see it all go to ruin like this… There’s a part of me that just wants to hide away with you on some backwater world for the rest of my days.”

Obi-Wan looked appalled by her pessimism. “Satine, you’ve never been one to back down from a challenge, much less when it involves the betterment of your people.”

She smiled sadly at his notion. “Even so, I had my time as regent already. In such a time when conflict is inevitable, I can’t be the leader they need.”

“Maybe not,” he compromised, much to her surprise. “But I think you’ll find a way to leave your mark regardless.”

“Flattering as always, Obi,” she deadpanned, though her now playful smile quickly gave away her front. Once again, she was reminded of how… _liberating_ it felt just being with him. How open she was in these moments they stole.

“Well, playing a role behind the scenes might actually be the best thing to do, depending on how much public opinion of you has swayed. But if you’d rather not,” his voice lowered an octave then, “I wouldn’t mind taking you up on that proposal to hide out somewhere remote and forget about it all. At least not for a while anyway.”

“Is that so?”

“The Clone Wars will be over soon as well, with or without me, and it’s not like I have many options these days. What with being a fugitive and all.”

“So, you’re stuck with me then.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Obi-Wan replied, the slightly optimistic tone to his voice deftly replaced by resoluteness as he pressed his lips to hers.

Satine certainly hadn’t expected _that_ , but quickly reciprocated anyhow. It was short, sweet, and firm, though she may have lingered a few seconds longer than initially intended. Not like Obi-Wan had objected to it. They were in this together, after all, their paths fully entwined now.

Eventually, Satine felt content enough to draw back from his touch and speak again. “Let’s head back to base. Ahsoka’s probably bored out of her mind listening to my sister prattle on about siege tactics.”

There was a tentativeness to her Jedi’s mannerisms upon his reply. “I assume she took the news well?”

“About as you’d expect,” she replied coolly. _Oh, you have no idea._

He grimaced at that, having picked up on the underlying tone to her words. “Recruiting the Clones was always a long shot, but still our best bet when it came to getting reinforcements. Probably half the reason your sister tolerated my presence.”

“Bo will come around eventually. I’ll make sure of it.”

“I know you will. It’s just everything else that feels so uncertain,” Obi-Wan said with a sigh. “Without the Clones to secure Sundari, there’s no guarantee we can even engage Maul before he escapes, unless—"

“Save it for the strategy session, there’ll be plenty of those in the near future,” Satine interrupted, cutting in before that merciless feeling known as doubt could consume him. “Obi, you made the right choice saving Ahsoka, everyone here can attest to that, Clone army or not.”

“I’d do it again a thousand times over, you’re right,” he conceded, a pensiveness to his demeanor. “I suppose we’ll just have to improvise then.”

She shrugged to that. “I was never too keen on the idea from the start, given all the potential legality issues.”

“Funny you mention it, I asked your sister about the very same thing.”

It was almost jarring how easy they could slip back into banter with one another, though nonetheless, Satine’s interest was piqued. “And?”

“She was still all in regardless, consequences be damned. So long as Mandalore is out of Maul’s grasp.”

She huffed at his explanation with a shake of the head. Classic Bo, though she supposed it was unfair to expect more of her. In her eyes, she had been fighting to bring Mandalore back to tradition since she was but a teenager, there was no reason for her to stop now. 

Still, she felt compelled to defend her stance, even with Obi-Wan being the only one to hear it. At least then it wouldn’t fall on deaf ears. “Well, if the Republic got involved, I doubt there’d be a smooth transition, especially after the two volatile shifts in leadership Mandalore’s had already.”

“Well, they most certainly won’t now. But don’t worry, Satine,” a thoughtful expression crossed his face then, “there still might be a way to salvage some semblance of an army. Not one as capable or disciplined as the Clones, but it could still make all the difference.”

“Who do you have in mind?”

“I’ll have to run the idea by your sister, but I already know it’s going to be a hard sell for both parties,” he replied, looking as though he was still sorting through the logistics of whatever rudimentary plan he had concocted. After a few moments of contemplation, he turned to look her in the eye, his ensuing question surprising her at the time.

“What do we have in terms of credits right now?”

* * *

Maul shuddered involuntarily, the subtle shift he felt in the Force magnified tenfold by his senses. He knew Sidious had been biding time with his manufactured war, putting the pieces in place for the Jedi to fall with precision, but now… something was different.

A foreboding feeling washed over Maul, though what it meant, he didn’t know. His master had not yet intervened in his carefully laid plans, leaving him and Savage free to strengthen his grip on Mandalore and the crime syndicates in preparation. Nothing appeared to be amiss in the galactic conflict either, except for one variable.

 _Kenobi._ He seethed at just the thought of the name, though his instincts assured him it was no mistake. An expelled, defecting Jedi Master would generate a sizable amount of turmoil within the Republic, an easy situation for one to exploit and cultivate favor with the masses. Yes, that had to be it. Sidious was a manipulator far and beyond force users of Kenobi’s caliber, he only served to benefit by coming one step closer to eliminating the farce of democracy throughout the galaxy.

He let out a laugh, the thought of Kenobi inadvertently accelerating the Jedi’s demise a pleasing one. It was short-lived though, the reminder of Sidious’s inevitability a sobering one. Everything he had built until now, it wasn’t enough, nor would it have ever been. And with his master’s plan possibly being set into motion even sooner—all while Kenobi hides away licking his wounds—he saw only one true path to long-lasting, absolute power.

“Master,” Savage approached then, dropping to one knee in greeting. “The Mandalorians are expecting you.”

“Thank you, apprentice. I will speak to them in time. You may rise, there are… other matters for us to discuss.”

He did so, Maul moving in sync to stand from his throne. “We cannot afford to delay much longer. Kenobi’s expulsion has created a great disturbance in the Force. Have you sensed it?” he asked, Savage grunting in agreement. “I fear it will begin soon.”

“What does it mean, brother?”

He turned to look him dead in the eye, sneering his next words in contempt. “The end of the war and the Republic, and the beginning of a new age, of _Sidious’_ reign. We must act quickly, seize control of the systems we can before… before it’s too late.”

“What about the Jedi?”

Maul sighed at his brother’s ineptitude. He still had much to learn. “Patience, apprentice. Kenobi will not risk attacking shorthanded with his precious Duchess accompanying him. Only when the pieces are in place will we seek him out. We have business to attend to in the meantime.”

“Brother—"

“The only thing that matters right now is furthering our power, our position in the galaxy!” he snapped. “We will not languish and make our stand against Sidious unprepared! _Do you understand?_ ”

Savage only mumbled faint words of compliance he deemed to be satisfactory.

“There is but one more issue to address: Our fellow crime lords. A visit has been long overdue. Perhaps it’s time we reevaluate what they have to offer,” he concluded, tapping a button on his wrist comm to signal the end of their conversation.

“Prime Minister, gather our finest warriors to the palace. We… have much to discuss.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shavit - Term from Legends basically translating to feces/literal shit. Used it because I figured I could use a swear at that part. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ Shoutout Wookiepedia.
> 
> Bo-Katan's camaraderie with Ahsoka during Siege of Mandalore was cool to see, but I wish there had been an arc to fill in some of the blanks of how their relationship developed, considering their previous appearance together on screen in canon. Oh well, at least it leaves me free to make my own interpretation of how it'd go.
> 
> Next chapter: Anakin's attempts to move forward without his Master and Padawan, scenes from the Senate, maybe more.


	10. What Now? (Alternatively)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some heartfelt conversation is had, while elsewhere, a war is planning to be won.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a shorter chapter this time around, but this is already 1 day later than I promised (better than last time), so I figured why not just post. 
> 
> Some slight time hopping here, Anakin's conversation here probably takes place about a week or so after the Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and the Kryzes as indicated by dialogue, but I put the former one first because I needed a perspective change for a bit.
> 
> Thanks for 4K views by the way! :)

The days following Obi-Wan and Ahsoka’s expulsion from the Republic contained a whirlwind of political hearings for those involved. Though despite leading the initial search group, Anakin had instead been dispatched to reclaim a Separatist outpost in the Mid Rim, the call to arms for such a basic operation seeming a little _too_ convenient for the Council to have not pulled any strings. He kept up where he could with his newly issued holo (which he may or may not have used right away to try and contact Ahsoka), though with each update, things only looked to get worse.

One by one, members of the Jedi Council gave their statements in court, not one of them offering a defense of any kind. Hell, hardly any of them even took a kriffing stance on the situation unless asked directly about it, opting for the conclusion that everything had happened according to the will of the Force.

That type of answer didn’t exactly endear them to the Senate, as Padmé had told him during one of their check-in calls. She and several other Senators had lobbied for further investigation into the case against Ahsoka and Obi-Wan, citing inconclusive, circumstantial evidence, but had been overruled by a wide majority, just as Palpatine had predicted. By her account, the Senate was practically an echo chamber of uniformity, the same opinions being regurgitated over and over about how the Republic couldn’t afford to divert resources at a critical juncture of the Clone Wars, or how the evidence incriminated both Jedi without a doubt. Some sleazy politicians had gone as far as to call for the Jedi to be defunded for the incident alongside their overall “archaic practices”.

Despite all this, Anakin himself still wasn’t sure what to make of the overall situation. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka had clearly been in contact, quite possibly for weeks given the latter being in possession of his holo at the time. But if so, why all the secrecy? Did Ahsoka have some sort of premonition leading her to do what she did? She didn’t appear rattled as he had after… after his _own_ vision way back when. Unless of course she _had_ been _,_ and he just missed the signs like the lousy teacher he thought he was.

No, that felt unlikely. Ahsoka seemed just as surprised as he had upon hearing of the Temple bombing. The fear and uncertainty he felt in her force signature as she ran, that was all genuine. Then what part of the picture was he missing?

He didn’t know. But if one thing was clear, Ahsoka wasn’t the culprit here. As for Obi-Wan… his role in this only complicated things. He seemed intent on keeping those he cared for safe, and if not for the fact Anakin had given away his involvement thus rendering him a fugitive, he’d have a laugh at his master’s expense for his blatant attachment.

But that wasn’t the case, and instead, he found himself sulking in the hanger of the _Venator_ class star destroyer, waiting for the trip back to Coruscant. The opportunity to plead his case to the Jedi Council about conducting his _own_ investigation into Ahsoka’s case and his master’s involvement was all he could think about. Having just finished a near weeklong campaign, he didn’t have the energy for much else in his mind.

Unfortunately, such behavior failed to go unnoticed by the many Clones in the area, as soon enough, Rex had sauntered over to the starfighter Anakin was pretending to make repairs on.

“General.” There came his distinctive greeting.

“Is there a problem, captain?” Anakin hardly even tried to hide his weariness—or irritation, for that matter. He was just so _tired_ , had been for quite some time now.

“You, ah… you haven’t looked right lately. Ever since Commander Tano left, in fact. You forgot your lightsaber in the transport we took on the way back here,” he informed, holding out the weapon to him as if it were a peace offering.

“Thank you, Rex. Is that all?”

“Do you want that to be all?” There was a hint of knowing to his voice.

Anakin chose to take the bait anyway. “Preferably, yes.”

“I can leave if you want,” Rex raised a brow at his almost indifferent tone.

“You know me better than that,” Anakin conceded with a sigh. “That’ll be unnecessary, captain.”

“Thought so.” A triumphant grin reached his face at the victory, before morphing into a look of sympathy. “Now tell me what’s going on in that mind of yours.”

“It’s Ahsoka. I… I’m still trying to piece together what really happened.” Anakin averted his eyes at his admission, frustrated with himself. Why didn’t he do more for her? _Why couldn’t he?_

“You don’t believe she was the bomber?”

“Do _you_?” The iciness accompanying his words had slipped out before he could think better of it.

“Of course not. I’ve seen you with the kid, it’s just not her to do something like that. In the moment though, it looked pretty bad. I guess it doesn’t matter though. In the end, it’s our word against theirs,” Rex said with a nod, his message clear.

“How do you do it?” Anakin blurted out; his filter long gone. “Move on after losing your brothers in battle?”

“I don’t think you have a choice _but_ to move on. I’ve seen so many of them gunned down throughout the war, lost in so many ways, and there’s always that feeling of helplessness to come with it. But that’s not even the worst part,” Rex paused, a look of shame overcoming his face. “The worst part is not being able to remember them properly, to honor their losses. I remember their faces, their birth numbers, but probably couldn’t tell you what half of them were like as just _people_.”

Anakin paused for a moment before replying, digesting the explanation, letting it sink in fully. “You shouldn’t blame yourself for that, Rex.”

“Just like you shouldn’t blame yourself for the loss of Commander Tano and General Kenobi?” he responded.

“I—that’s different. I could’ve stopped Ahsoka from going to the interrogation alone, I didn’t have to rat out Obi-Wan and ruin the rest of his life. If I had realized his feelings for the Duchess ran deeper than I thought, I could’ve helped him. I’m supposed to be…” Anakin didn’t know how he wanted to finish the sentence. _The Chosen One? Powerful?_

“I’m supposed to be better than this,” he eventually settled.

“We all have a choice. They made theirs, and if I know the two of them, they’ll be fine out there.”

“Fine?” Anakin laughed, a sense of hysteria coming over him. “I basically condemned them to life on the run in the Outer Rim while people put out bounty fobs and posters for their capture. That’s hardly fine.”

“Well, I don’t think any of us are _fine_ nowadays, at least not completely. But we still have to try.”

“There is no try,” he recalled, one of Master Yoda’s oldest lessons coming back to him.

Rex raised a brow at that. “That’s one of the oldest lessons in the book for you guys, isn’t it? That and learning to let go.”

“I don’t think I can do that,” his reply was almost immediate. _And not just in this situation_.

“I know. Some of them I don’t think I’ll ever get over either,” Rex said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “None of us are perfect, despite what the Kaminoans might say. And that’s okay. Because we don’t _have_ to be.”

“We are who we are,” Anakin murmured simply in response.

“And I’d say you’re pretty good in my book, the best General a Clone could ask for,” he drew back to salute him then, Anakin mirroring the gesture as always.

“General.”

“Captain.”

* * *

“You’re kidding me.”

Obi-Wan exchanged a look with Satine, who merely shrugged slightly at her sister’s words. Bo-Katan had been less than thrilled by his plan, to put it mildly, and he honestly couldn’t fault her for being skeptical. Throwing in even more unknowns and wild cards into the equation was risky, but then again, it wasn’t as if they had too many choices either.

He had approached the lead Mandalorian quickly after his discussion with Satine, the former still in the middle of showing Ahsoka around the base at the time. The earlier animosity between them seemed to be quashed for now, but Obi-Wan mentally noted to keep an eye out for how that dynamic would develop, nonetheless.

“You wanted an army, I’m proposing we find one,” he replied calmly.

“I did want an army, just not one full of _pirates_. How can we even trust them?”

“They have a bit of shared history with Maul, he tends to rack up his enemies more often than not.”

“So, that’s it? The great Obi-Wan Kenobi is going to convince the scum of the galaxy to fight with us, just like that?”

Ahsoka, who had remained quiet up until then, decided to voice her opinion. “As much as I hate to agree, she’s got a point, Master. I’ve run into these pirates before, if there’s one thing I learned, you can _never_ turn your back on them. Everything they do is only for their own self-interest.”

“Well, we better make it worthwhile to maintain their loyalty then. And that brings me to my next point,” he explained. “We’ll need credits, lots of them.”

If Bo-Katan had been frustrated before, now she looked downright offended. “I’m not giving them any of our—”

“Not your beskar, for Force sake. Even I can agree that’d be too steep a reward. Just whatever constitutes as currency on Mandalore will do.”

“You do realize what you’re asking of us, right? They only just lifted the off-world travel ban on Mandalore a few days ago. Any supplier we call in will be under scrutiny from Maul, especially if they’re smuggling around a boatload of credits.”

“I understand that, but at this point, risks are inevitable. We might be running out of time and options if we don’t act soon.”

The younger of the Kryze sisters looked ready to retort but seemed to think better of it last second, her mouth snapping shut just as quickly as it had opened. Instead, she turned her attention elsewhere to Satine, uttering one simple word. One that evidently carried more meaning than what met their ears.

“Sister?”

Satine looked pleased by the fact her sister sought validation from her, a fleeting self-satisfied smile passing on her face. “Ordinarily, I’d be less than inclined to agree with Obi-Wan in this instance, but I do think it could prove worthwhile here,” she argued, her voice adamant and showing traces of the leader she had been on Mandalore. “We’ll have to make a stand against Maul soon, lest he be allowed to continue expanding his power base. A short-term alliance would be beneficial, even if it’s with such a volatile group.”

With a swift nod at the statement, Bo-Katan shifted her attention back to Obi-Wan then. “How many are we talking about here? What do they have to offer us?”

“I’m not sure at the moment. Hondo’s group has seen quite a bit of variance in numbers to my knowledge, though after I parted ways with them last time, they seemed to be doing pretty well for themselves. They’ve likely grown in numbers by now,” Obi-Wan deduced. “As for artillery, believe me, they have no shortage of those. I might even be able to convince them to get us a few ships if needed.”

“So, are we talking within the range of one hundred able-bodied pirates then?”

Obi-Wan knew better than to make such promises; he would do his best to bring in reinforcements, but nothing was guaranteed the way things were now. “That might be pushing it a bit, but I’ll see what I can do.”

Unsatisfied, Bo-Katan continued to press on with the questions. “They know how to operate jetpacks? Because they’ll be needing those in case something goes wrong during our aerial assault.”

“There’s a first time for everything, although that may not be necessary here,” he informed her. “Even best-case scenario, we likely won’t have enough forces to maintain the siege for long. It’ll have to be a decisive and quick attack to cut off the head of the snake while we can.”

Both Ahsoka and Bo-Katan seemed to perk up at the prospect of battle and his offering of strategic insight, the latter asking for further details on his plan. Satine merely looked on with a neutrality to her, neither accepting nor outright shooting down the inquiry. Although the fact that he briefed her on it beforehand likely made a difference in that regard.

“We split into two teams. One will begin with a direct assault on Sundari along with anyone else on Mandalore who’s willing to engage Maul’s forces, with the additional task of locating him and Savage if it can be done. It’d be best if we don’t reveal our entire hand from the start,” he elaborated. _Now time for Part B._ “Then, once everyone’s occupied, a second team with me, the pirates, and however many of you who opt not to engage in the primary siege will lead a stealth incursion to find and preferably capture Maul, if possible. With him defeated in combat as their Mand’alor, his forces may very yield to us, per Mandalorian customs.”

Obi-Wan paused then, the ensuing silence providing him with the chance to gather himself and gauge their reactions, to see if they were on board or not.

Eventually, Ahsoka spoke up to restart the litany of questions. “Will I be part of the second team with you?”

“I’m… not sure yet,” he said, contemplating the idea. “Strategically, it might be best for us to split up and stay in contact to ensure we stay on Maul’s trail. Sundari is a big city, after all. We can work out the finer details later though.”

She nodded in understanding then, content with his answer. Obi-Wan exhaled in relief; now, for the final hurdle to overcome…

The conflict was written all over Bo-Katan’s face as she thought over his proposal, something resembling resignation seeming to win out in the end. “How many credits will we need?”

The question caught him off guard initially, but Obi-Wan made sure to recover quickly in his answer. “Not too many. They’re pirates, they’ll settle for any commission they can get. A payment upfront and another of slightly higher quantity once the job is finished should be enough to convince them.”

“I’ll contact one of our suppliers then, see what I can do. But it’ll be at least a few days minimum before we can get the amount you need,” she relented, glancing him over as she spoke.

“In the meantime, you’d better start preparing the sales pitch of your life, Kenobi. This is our last hope, if it doesn’t work, we’ll have to go in shorthanded one way or another.”

“I know what’s at stake. I’ll be ready,” he vowed, returning her look with an equal determination.

He hoped it wasn’t misplaced.

**END OF PART II**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wound up condensing the Senate scenes to recountings by Anakin from afar, just couldn't quite get the dialogue to flow when writing that part. 
> 
> Anyhow, that's about it for now, next chapter should be up around Tuesday or so, give or take a day. See you all then!


	11. Enough Is Enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there again! Sorry for yet _another_ delay, it seems my computer did not take kindly to my typing of this story, had to take it into the shop to prevent overheating, but fortunately, it's back and running smoothly again for the most part.
> 
> School's starting up again soon for me, so updates might be erratic (hopefully not more than they've been already) or maybe the extra work will clear my mind and allow me to churn out this story better with the more limited time I have. Probably the former though, but I'll do my best. If nothing else, I can assure you all this story will NOT be abandoned.
> 
> Anyway, that's enough of my rambling, hope y'all enjoy this latest chapter! :)

**Part III: Testing The Bonds Of Time**

Days passed in the time leading to the arrival of the supply run. Mandalorians came and went, training and recon missions became regularized once it become clear the base on Kalevala served as the "hub" for the movement against Maul’s faction. As for Obi-Wan himself, the sense of comfortability he felt grow every day was both liberating and terrifying. He did what he could to busy himself, offering advice when suitable during the somewhat repetitive tactical briefings Bo-Katan held, contacting Hondo Ohnaka personally to sort through the logistics of recruiting him and his crew alike, and most importantly, helping Ahsoka get acclimated to her new environment.

Fortunately, she seemed to be taking the transition in stride for the most part, often resorting to the same coping mechanisms as him otherwise: saber sparring and long walks. Obi-Wan was happy to oblige whenever possible; though no one denied her immense skill, it wasn’t as if Mandalorian command was hard-pressed for the insight of a 17 year old, especially when he himself already offered the viewpoint of a Jedi. 

Though never spoken aloud, he and Satine had established something of a routine, often spending time just _being_ together, unrestrained and content. Sleep had suddenly become a much more appealing prospect, though not without its fair share of drawbacks. Obi-Wan silently thanked the Force every day in which Ahsoka and Bo-Katan bit back any sly, witty remarks in regard to the subject. 

Speaking of the younger Kryze sibling, she had come through as promised, quickly getting the remaining Mandalorians to buy in on his plan, while also working her contacts on Mandalore for the risky supply run he had requested. Said supplies had arrived a few days later than she had said at the time, but Obi-Wan knew it was for the best to operate with caution. Regardless, everything seemed to be going according to plan.

He and the sisters had been discussing the route of exposing Maul’s takeover to the general population to sway public opinion when an update from Mandalore changed things, though for better or worse remained to be seen.

“Ursa,” Bo said by way of greeting, “I hope you’ve brought us some good news.”

Ursa Wren was one of the main informants for the rogue Mandalorians, tasked with keeping tabs on Maul’s growing forces on Mandalore among other things. Up until then, Obi-Wan had written off her updates for the most part, as the Zabrak seemed content with his current power base, at least enough to reaffirm the planet’s neutrality and work from the shadows.

Apparently, his patience had finally stretched thin after weeks of inactivity, given Ursa’s report of the renegade Sith leaving the planet.

“Does he know we’re here?” Bo-Katan questioned, immediately accounting for the worst-case scenario as expected.

“Our spies confirmed the trajectory of his ship’s hyperspace path does not coincide with Kalevala. Most likely, he’s left the system for his own reasons.”

“Was the big one with him?”

“Yes, he also had a few warriors accompanying him. Merely a security detail, I presume.”

“Your spies provide any intel?”

Ursa shook her head at that. “It seems Lord Maul’s subordinates were not completely privy to his plans.”

“Keep us posted if anything changes in that regard,” Bo-Katan requested. “Thank you, Ursa.”

Once the holocall ended, debate sparked between the three of them as expected. Bo-Katan argued Maul’s departure was a sign they had to take action _now_ rather than bide their time and forces. Needless to say, Obi-Wan and Satine were skeptical of her spontaneous change in plan.

“This could be our chance to take back Mandalore!” she contended.

“You know we don’t have the firepower to maintain a prolonged siege on Sundari against Maul’s forces,” Obi-Wan pointed out. “We have to stick to the plan. Without a Mand’alor to remove from power, the entire attack becomes moot.”

“If we can rally the civilians to our side—”

“After they’ve already experienced two volatile shifts in leadership—”

“Maul’s forces will be far more susceptible to any siege without his guidance. We’d be well equipped to withstand whatever counterattack he throws at us.”

“Maul’s absence will only make his followers even warier of an attack like this. It’s exactly what they’d expect us to do now,” Obi-Wan emphasized.

“Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture, Bo,” Satine gently reminded. “Even if such an attack were to succeed, you know full well the chaos Maul’s crime syndicate can create. As long he roams free, we’d be ill equipped to defend ourselves from what he throws at us in retaliation.”

“She’s right. We must operate with precision, no loose ends. Especially not Maul himself.”

Bo-Katan struggled with digesting the premise behind their counterpoints, pursing her lips in what looked to be discontent. “Alright, we’ll wait,” she eventually conceded. “I suppose now’s as good a time as any to run another census on the popularity behind Maul’s rule with Mandalore, see where we stand in terms of potential rebellion.”

“It'll work out. This way, we have more time to establish everybody’s roles aside from ‘shoot and dodge blaster bolts,’” Obi-Wan reassured.

Bo-Katan nodded to that but didn’t drop the conversation entirely. Sometimes he wondered if she liked arguing with others just for the sake of it. “I’d still prefer getting those damn pirates to commit now rather than later though.”

“Now _that’s_ something we can all agree on.”

“Take the credits you need and one of our starfighters. I expect all of them here for briefing upon arrival. Comm systems of any kind will be confiscated and inspected.”

“Any _other_ protocols I should be made aware of, or is that all?”

“You’re all clear. Unless you want an escort of some kind.”

“That would be…” Obi-Wan trailed off, his eyes meeting Satine’s for the briefest of moments. But long enough for him to reconsider. “…not such a bad idea, actually. Satine, care to join me on this bout?”

“The Negotiator requesting my help to settle an arrangement? Why I suppose I’m all but obliged to agree,” she teased, taking his outstretched hand in response.

“Well, you looked like you could use a little getaway.”

“Charming,” Bo-Katan interrupted, looking almost perplexed at the quick turn of events. “But when I said ‘escort’, I meant protection. Not, well…” She didn’t finish that thought, probably out of good conscience, instead gesturing to the two of them to make her point.

“We’ll be fine, Bo,” Satine reassured. “Obi-Wan knows these pirates well, and I’m sure most people here have better things to do than serve as his convoy.”

“And what about you?”

Satine snorted at her notion. “I’m not exactly essential to the operation regarding the planning of the attack or otherwise.”

“Just be careful then,” Bo-Katan conceded with a sigh. “At least take a blaster with you for once.”

“Only because you asked.” Moments like these only reminded Obi-Wan how alike he and Satine were in both playfulness and snark. _Force, they really were made for each other._

Still, he knew better than to let the conversation persist, lest an argument break out between the sisters. As such, he took the ensuing silence as an opportunity to intervene and steer the two back on track.

“Shall we get going then?”

Bo-Katan complied with a nod. “Tread carefully, Kenobi. We _need_ these reinforcements, no ifs about it.”

“I’ve already arranged most of the details with Hondo and his crew ahead of time. Now it’s only a matter of showing up with a sufficient amount of credits to pay upfront.”

“If that’s the case, then why is my sister joining you?”

“Everyone could use a change in atmosphere from time to time. That’s just a simple fact of life.”

“I _am_ standing right here, you two,” Satine interjected, a faux annoyance to her voice. At least he hoped that was the case.

“Right,” Obi-Wan acknowledged awkwardly, an even more awkward cough accompanying it. He swiftly moved to get back on topic before he did something like fidget with his hands. “It’s best we leave now, it ought to be daylight on Florrum once we arrive.”

“I’ll be counting down the hours,” Bo-Katan warned, though this time it sounded almost in jest.

He grinned to that. “I have no doubt there.”

* * *

Anakin resisted the urge to rub his knuckles on his forehead out of pure exasperation as he explained his proposal to the Council. It had been met by scrutiny and questioning for the most part, and that was with only a select few Masters present. Something about the situation at large smelled rotten in his mind, and it wasn’t _just_ because his master and padawan had gotten the short end of the stick. 

Master Windu was the latest person to make an attempt at placating him in his rejection. “Your contributions to the war have not gone unnoticed, Skywalker,” he said. “But the Senate was clear: All investigation into the events leading to the expulsion of Ahsoka Tano and Obi-Wan Kenobi are to be handled by a squad led by Admiral Tarkin.”

“Master Windu—” Anakin’s frustration was palpable through the Force, but he didn’t care. They couldn’t just _give up._

“That includes any investigation pertaining to the origin of the nanodroids used in the attack on the temple,” he concluded, not missing a beat despite the interruption.

“There’s something more going on here. I can feel it, I know all of you can too. The evidence was too circumstantial for anyone to be deemed guilty, much less two Jedi. We have to uncover _the truth!_ ”

“Do not let your attachment blind your judgment,” Ki-Adi Mundi cautioned.

“I’m not,” Anakin retorted, though he was sure the edge to his voice alone made it clear that was a lie. “Think about it. How did Ahsoka get ahold of that key card just sitting next to her cell? Why were the security feeds offline before and during her escape?”

“The leading theory is that Master Kenobi orchestrated her escape, including the disabling of any security footage,” Windu supplied.

“You don’t actually believe that, do you?” Upon hearing no response, Anakin only doubled down on his argument. “Ahsoka only had access to communication _after_ her cell was unlocked. Master Kenobi’s return coinciding with her escape had to be just that: a coincidence. It couldn’t have been premeditated.”

“All is as the Force wills it,” said Luminara calmly.

Boy, how Anakin was starting to grow sick of hearing _that._ “Can’t you feel the imbalance then? Even now, we’re being manipulated. Some course of action must be taken, starting with finding out where those nanodroids came from.”

“Felt this we have, Skywalker,” Yoda revealed, speaking for the first time. “However, stretched thin already, the Jedi are.”

“He’s right,” Windu agreed. “Given the juncture of the war, we could only afford to deploy a small convoy for investigation, that is if we do obtain approval from the military.”

“That’s all I’m asking for. I’d recommend the 501st for the task. As it stands, my battalion has the most men to spare,” Anakin offered.

The four masters present in the room looked to each other, wordlessly communicating through various expressions and gestures. Eventually, after a solemn nod from Yoda, Windu gave the verdict.

“Though the Council as a whole is not present, I can safely say for everyone that the case against your Padawan was far from a foregone conclusion, young Skywalker. We must approach this with caution, but further investigation is warranted, with or without military approval. However, if a squadron of yours is to lead said investigation, you cannot allow it to impede your duties.”

“Much conflict I sense in you,” Yoda commented stoically. “You must learn to _let go_.”

“I understand.”

Even so, a twinge in Anakin’s gut arose at the thought of losing them—or anyone else important in his life for that matter—for good.

He shook off that sense of dread, pressing onward for details. “When should we give our troopers their assignments?”

“Soon,” Windu replied smoothly. “In the meantime, we will be working much more closely with one another now, Skywalker. The Chancellor himself has selected us for our next offensive against the Separatists.”

“The Chancellor?” Anakin questioned. Though he was overseeing the war as arguably the main face of the Republic, he hadn’t been aware the man was _personally_ managing such aspects of it. But so long as it produced results, he couldn’t really give a bantha about it.

“Since the incident with Master Kenobi and Padawan Tano, it seems he has taken a more hands on approach to the war.”

“If it works, it works,” he replied tiredly.

Once again, Windu and Yoda exchanged looks before the former spoke again. “Indeed. That will be all for now, Skywalker.”

Anakin couldn’t get out of that room faster if he had tried.

* * *

The journey to the rendezvous point Hondo had given him had come and gone quickly once he and Satine had got to talking among other things. Her main point of interest seemed to be Obi-Wan’s shared history with the pirate, a topic they hadn’t got around to discussing in the days leading up to his recruiting of the mercenaries. As she seemed to be taking point on most of their conversation, Obi-Wan noted there was a topic she hadn’t been very interested in.

Rather than spoil the mood while Satine was cheerfully talkative and intrigued by the conversation, he opted to wait until they had returned to real space to discuss it.

“Are things… okay between you and your sister?”

Immediately, the smile Satine wore so openly for most of the trip drooped as she searched for a response. “We’re getting there,” she replied noncommittedly.

Obi-Wan eyed her curiously then, waiting a beat for her to elaborate. And sure enough, she did just that moments later.

“It hasn’t been easy coming to terms with everything that’s happened. You know that already though,” she said. “But Bo especially. For the longest time, I thought she was dead, just another part of the statistics in war. And to know what she has been doing in the meantime, I fear for Mandalore’s future, or possibly lack thereof.”

“You think she’s planning to unify the people through tradition? To take over as regent once this is over?” It made sense to him; Bo-Katan was entrenched firmly in the old ways of her people. Coming from the ruling family, she certainly had a claim to the throne. And the saber sparring… well, that could only be for one purpose, really.

“You cannot suppress the Mandalorian in someone forever. I’ve come to learn that over my time as regent. People like me are outliers, not even footnotes in our history. Perhaps we’re just doomed to fight a perpetual, vicious cycle of war.”

“Maybe, maybe not. But that doesn’t have to be _your_ fate. There are dozens of thousands of planets out there if you’d prefer to stay out of another conflict and maintain your neutrality again.”

“With my shining Jedi Knight in armor accompanying me?”

“Well, I assumed that to be the case, yes, but—”

Satine cut him off with a swift kiss then, long enough to shut him up, but also leaving him wanting more. That was just _unfair._ He told her as much before making his way to the pilot seat in preparation to land.

She wryly smiled at his complaint. “Such is the price of love. We’re stuck with each other, Ben. Just like old times.”

“When you put it that way,” he began, stopping momentarily to focus on the craft’s landing, “it doesn’t sound like such a bad deal to me.”

“It helps that we’ve already paid our fair share of dues. Now come on,” Satine motioned to him, eyeing the sleuth of pirates already gathered near their ship, “I’d hate to make a bad first impression.”

“Oh, don’t worry, that’ll be pretty hard to pull off.” 

* * *

“I don’t like this, Bail.”

Padmé had exited the senatorial meeting with Bail even more perturbed than she had been going in. Everything seemed to be going per the status quo when Chancellor Palpatine had made his grand announcement. Due to “recent events”, and by extension his emergency powers, the man now had the autonomy to personally oversee and overrule individual Jedi assignments in the war. It didn’t take much to determine what “events” he had been alluding to.

Though she couldn’t say with confidence he had an ax to grind, Padmé felt uneasy with all that power residing in one man’s hand. If someone didn’t fall in line or agree with his policies… who’s to say the Chancellor couldn’t arrange an “accident” of some sort? Who’s to say he hadn’t already done so in the past and now felt secure enough to be open about it?

Padmé had never liked the man much after the Trade Federation dilemma on Naboo had been resolved. Snakes like him were hard to pick out from the crowd; it wasn’t as if they had interacted much after his appointment. But after over two years of war with no end in sight, all while he preached empty promises of peace and democracy, she understood how he slithered his way to the top. His most recent blatant overstep of power—with no one willing to speak up in objection—had merely been the final nail in the coffin. Something had to change.

As if on the same page, Bail proceeded to voice similar concerns then. “He’s made a mockery of democracy and the Republic, I’ll say that much. But he gained them through democratic means, and unfortunately, we can’t overrule that aspect of it.”

“Where does it end though? How long until we have to pledge our allegiance or be labeled a Separatist?”

“Padmé,” Bail had stopped walking to look at her directly. “They often say there are no lines in war, all sides included in the crossfire. If your loyalty is put into question, you either rectify it or face a firing squad.”

She laughed bitterly at the ultimatum he described. “I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound like democracy.”

“It doesn’t. But that is the reality of the situation now,” he agreed. “However, you know that we’re far from alone in that sentiment.”

“When I made that vote of no confidence against Chancellor Valorum, this is exactly what I was trying to _prevent_. Authoritarianism. But democracy is still dying before our eyes.”

“Voting out Palpatine simply isn’t possible at this point of war. The turmoil would send the Republic spiraling into oblivion. But we can at least begin building a case against him for when the conflict is over.”

“He’s had the most to gain of anyone during all this,” she mused. “It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s had a hand in prolonging the war, especially with this new policy.”

“Agreed. Shall we discuss this in further detail later?”

Padmé straightened up then, brash defiance rushing through her veins. “No, call a meeting instead. We’ll round up Mothma and the others for it. We have to be ready to take a stand when the time comes, for the Republic and all the values and people we represent.”

“I’ll be in contact,” Bail said with a simple nod before going his own way.

She let out a long exhale, one supposed to relieve the tension within her, but to no avail. Too much was on her mind. Thank the Force Anakin had returned from his mission today; he could alleviate some of the weight on her shoulders at least temporarily if nothing else. A distraction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of character introspection and pieces moving into place now. As Bo-Katan said, some of them may need to tread carefully. ;)


	12. Negotiations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan, Satine, and Hondo meet and discuss terms. Padmé and Anakin aren't quite on the same page communication-wise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the placeholder text that came with last chapter, my mind just blanked when it came to the name of Hondo's planet and I didn't have internet to look it up at the time of writing the chapter. Completely slipped my mind to make the correction during my final proofread, but oh well, guess it was bound to happen eventually. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> On another note, hey, it didn't take me three weeks to update this time, always a good sign. Hope you guys enjoy this one! Any mistakes are mine of course. :)

Florrum was a rather unspectacular planet in general, Obi-Wan noted as he descended the Mandalorian starfighter’s ramp. Yet somehow, he always found himself returning one way or another, the circumstances getting even more bizarre with each trip. It certainly wasn’t the type of planet Satine was used to, and she couldn’t have stood out more in her Mandalorian dress, one of the few remnants from her time as Duchess of Mandalore.

If possible, Obi-Wan would’ve asked her to dress more casually in light of the company they would be dealing with, but that had been the only clothing on her person when he broke her out of prison, so it was either that or the skintight jumpsuits used for training regimen. She most certainly wasn’t going to don Death Watch armor, though it wasn’t as if any Mandalorians on base had extended such an offer anyhow. After all, they had been complicit in overthrowing and killing her just weeks ago, a fact that still made them both uneasy.

 _What’s done is done,_ he thought, shrugging off that line of thinking as the ever so eccentric Hondo stepped forth through his men to greet them.

“Ah Kenobi, I must say your call came as a pleasant surprise,” he began, just as charming as Obi-Wan had remembered the Weequay to be.

“Really?" Obi-Wan replied wryly with a smile. "I couldn’t tell aside from the immense elation I sensed once I made the offer.”

“Good, well-paying work is hard to come by these days. Ever since Grievous’s attack on the system, we’ve only just gotten by because of the riches from the horned men’s ship. With my expanding crew, there are many men to account for,” he explained, his attention shifting to Satine then. “Speaking of accountability, I don’t believe your acquaintance and I have been introduced to one another.”

“Hondo, this is Satine Kryze, former Duchess of Mandalore. Satine, well you’ve already heard about and witnessed firsthand what Hondo’s like.”

“Former??? With that getup, you could pass for Duchess of the Galaxy!”

His reaction came as no surprise to Obi-Wan, who in the moment was just relieved Satine hadn’t been wearing her headdress upon incarceration. 

“A pleasure to meet you,” Satine cordially replied, extending a hand to shake. Hondo seemed momentarily surprised by the formality of the gesture, pausing briefly before returning it. “I can see how you and Obi-Wan get along with one another.”

“We’ve had quite the acclaimed history together, I would say. I could tell right from the beginning it was the start of a beautiful friendship.”

“How interesting,” Satine wryly smiled at the Weequay’s recollection, another topic she could probe for details out of him later.

“It is quite a fascinating tale, indeed. And we’ll have plenty of time to discuss it,” Obi-Wan said in an attempt to steer the conversation back on track. “For now, I just want to make sure your men are ready to go.”

“Have they been ever!” Hondo replied with a hearty laugh. “Like I said, these are difficult times for us all, but friendship prevails above all else.”

“So, the money is just a side bonus then?”

“Well, it wouldn’t be a friendship without benefits, Kenobi! Those things go hand in hand, like the light of the moons at night!”

“Right. Just so you know, you and your men free to back out right now, but once we hand out your upfront commission… well, let’s just say I’m far more forgiving than the Mandalorians when it comes to negligence of duty.”

“Hondo Ohnaka may be a scoundrel and a thief, but he is an _honorable_ scoundrel and thief. At least that’s what one of my men told me last week.” Obi-Wan bit his lip to keep from chuckling, instead plastering an unimpressed look on his face.

At that, Hondo switched tactics, extending an arm around his shoulder. “Kenobi, I could have easily turned you in for the large bounty on your head, but friends don’t do that. _Especially_ not the honorable ones.”

 _Oh right._ Obi-Wan had completely forgotten about the reward for his and Ahsoka's capture (alive allegedly, though that didn’t exactly put him at ease much). That act alone merited a good amount of trust, though also made him wary of all the unknowns he was bringing into the fray.

“We may be friends, Hondo, I’ll concede to that,” he admitted. “I just hope I can say the same about the rest of your crew.”

“What, them?” Hondo replied nonchalantly. “My men are as loyal as they come.”

“Didn’t you just experience a near full-blown mutiny all but a few weeks ago?”

“They saw riches and greener pastures. I personally wasn’t even upset, just well…” the Weequay paused then, rocking his head back and forth in search of a proper term, “impressed by their cunningness. But it all worked out in the end!”

“Regardless,” Satine interjected, the dryness to her voice rivaling that of her sister’s, “you’ll all have to be briefed and processed by command.”

“Ah yes, of course. Military protocol. That is of no issue,” Hondo correctly deduced. “Now then, how about those credits?”

Obi-Wan and Satine subtly looked to one another for how to answer the question, the wordless communication eventually resulting in him stepping aside for her to take point on the topic.

“Once you’ve all been cleared back at base, you’ll get your first commission upfront,” she said, opting not to make mention of the credits they had brought with them on the trip.

“Well, why are we all still here then? I will gather the rest of my men and ships, and we will leave as soon as possible for our riches!”

With that, Hondo motioned to the few men with him to head back to their outpost, leaving Obi-Wan and Satine alone near the base of the ship. He gave her a look, a moment of consideration taken before commenting on her decision.

“You lied to them.” Though his tone wasn’t accusing, it _was_ laced with a hint of curiosity.

Satine shrugged, unapologetic. As she should be. “It’d be safer to pay them later rather than now while we’re outnumbered. Besides, we can’t possibly account for every one of these men until we get back, especially after learning some of them have defected before.”

“Good thinking as always, dear,” he replied with a nod before shifting gears. “So, what do you make of my ‘good friend’, as Hondo so eloquently put it?”

“He strikes me as quite the… unique individual. I’d _love_ to hear the history between the two of you, word for word.”

Obi-Wan laughed at that, an easygoing smile on his face. “Another day, Satine,” he promised. “Another day.”

* * *

Usually, Anakin’s coy visits to her apartment filled Padmé with elation and fulfillment for a multitude of reasons. The stories he told regarding his part in the war always gave her hope, hope that calm would follow the storm for a long time to come. He made her laugh, feel wanted, and okay yes, the sex was good too.

But today, things felt… different. She sensed the discord in him almost right away, even without intuition from the Force. His smile was strained as they stayed wrapped in each other’s arms in greeting. There was a new edge to his voice as he spoke, despite him uttering words of happiness and longing.

“I missed you,” Anakin said, drawing her in for a brief kiss. “Should we get ready for our long night?”

Padmé nodded in compliance. “Good idea. I could definitely use some more alcohol in my system right now.”

“You had a drink already?” There was an accusatory tone to his voice that she didn’t understand. What, she couldn’t have a self-loathing pity drink to herself? Her mind was still sharp, probably even more than Anakin’s, who hadn’t even started yet.

“ _Yes,_ I may have had half a glass or so already. But you’re still free to join me assuming you’re still up for it.”

Anakin seemed puzzled by her response. “What’s wrong, Padmé? You’re not acting like yourself.”

"It's nothing," she said, waving off his concern. "I just had a long day."

"Padmé..." 

Oh, so now he was playing the concerned partner role. “I'm fine,’” she snapped, perhaps a bit tooharshly by the way he flinched. “Perfectly fine. Well, Anakin, that’s the thing: We both have stressful jobs, and we have to find a way to relieve that stress, with or without each other.”

"You don't seem fine considering you've only had half a glass so far."

"Well, I have to relieve stress from the job somehow, Anakin. With or without you. You know how that works."

“Then talk to me, Padmé. Please. That’s a stress reliever, isn’t it?”

“I _am_ talking to you. Maybe you just need to take a hint.”

“What are you talking about?” he questioned, now completely perplexed. “Have you really only had half a glass?”

“More or less,” Padmé replied with a callous shrug. “And I’m talking about my _job_ of course. How’s yours going? Probably better, but maybe not considering what it means for you Jedi.”

“You mean Palpatine’s new emergency powers?”

“No, I mean Jar Jar’s new getup for the Senate hearings,” she told him, the sarcasm simply dripping from her words. “Yes, Palpatine’s new emergency powers!”

“If that’s all, why are you so worked up over it?”

Padmé stared in disbelief for a few seconds to confirm he was being serious. Nothing. He still seemed perplexed. “Why aren’t _you_? Don’t you realize the implications of this? The man’s basically taken control of the entire Senate already, who’s to say he can’t use this eliminate any Jedi dissenters of his? It probably won’t end there either,” Padmé burst out in frustration, slamming her glass of wine to a table.

“I told you before, Padmé: Palpatine’s a good man, he has the Republic’s best interests at heart, even if the war hasn’t gone the way we wanted. At this point, we can’t afford any mistakes, so maybe it’s for the best he directs us on how to win.”

She looked to him in utter disbelief at what she was hearing, any remnants of her drunken stupor fading away then. “Are you even listening to yourself? If Palpatine really is looking out for the Republic the way you claim him to be, why hasn’t he stepped down or seceded control to someone else if the war has been a failure? What could he possibly know about military strategy after playing politics his whole life?”

“Palpatine’s the reason we even _have_ an army in the first place. Without the Clones, we probably would have lost the war before it began, Padmé.”

“Yeah, I’m sure he’s had nothing to gain from it all,” she replied with a derisive snort. “Every day, he takes and takes more power, and only gives empty promises of peace and propaganda in return.”

There was a testiness to Anakin’s voice in his reply. “That’s not true.” 

“Really? How many Senate hearings have you attended? Palpatine’s hardly brought up even the _possibility_ of a peaceful resolution from the start. Have you seen how much he pushes for Republic occupation on neutral worlds like Mandalore? Force forbid if that footage hadn’t gotten out…” she trailed off, lost in her thoughts.

Thankfully, Anakin’s wrist comm beeped then, sparing her from his retort. A distraction Padmé couldn’t be more thankful for in the moment. The stern voice of Mace Windu was one she recognized well.

“Skywalker, are you there?”

It was startling to see how fast Anakin reverted to the cool, composed Jedi, the Hero with No Fear, mere seconds after their argument. “Master Windu, you have an update?”

“Republic intelligence has uncovered Count Dooku’s location on the Separatist stronghold of Agamar. We will be deployed to repel him and the Separatists from the planet.”

“What about the Chancellor?”

“He has already agreed to the reassignment, we will be leaving shortly. Are you at your quarters for a pickup?”

“Er, no Master. I’ll reconvene with you and our squadrons by the Temple hangar instead.”

“Very well, I’ll be expecting you shortly then.”

At that, the curt communication was over, Anakin looking back to her apologetically.

“I’m sorry Padmé, but we’ll have to catch up later. I know we don’t see things the same way, but you have to have hope. You’ve always been my hope, don’t forget it.”

Well, what could she say to that other than to paste a smile on her face and give encouragement? “I know. Now go, and may the Force be with you.”

He just absolutely beamed at that; his own smile wide as he took off on his speeder with a salute in goodbye. She returned it with a timid wave of her own, maintaining her cheerful façade long enough for him to disappear into the distance. As soon as the moment came, she plopped down on her coach, groaning in dismay, brooding concerns clouding her mind.

What was happening? What were they becoming together? Where did the shy, kind Jedi with a good heart go, the one she had fallen in love with despite her own misgivings? Of all the things they had said to each other just then, only one of them she definitively agreed with.

“Yeah…” she said to the echo of her empty apartment, “I’m sorry too.”

Padmé sighed, reaching for the glass of wine she had set down earlier during their argument. Though she preferred not to indulge herself at this hour, it was going to be a long, long night otherwise. She would deal with the consequences of the hangover once it hit her in the morning, figure things out from there.

At least that’s what she hoped. _Hope._ She thought back to Anakin’s parting words, remembering how she had always seen the good in him even at his worst. That was something to take solace in, she supposed. However, hope wouldn’t do her a bit of good right now, not if she didn’t use it to take action.

After all, nothing was guaranteed these days.

* * *

Oddly enough, Ahsoka felt right in her element with the Mandalorians, though being exempt from most meetings and combat training certainly helped. While no one aside from Obi-Wan welcomed her with open arms, she got the sense her presence was valued in a way it simply couldn’t be in a war fought by thousands of Jedi. 

Or perhaps she was just imagining things. Either way, she thought nothing of Bo-Katan summoning her to the holotable where they strategized to take back Mandalore; Obi-Wan himself had said they more or less went over the same points every meeting.

Naturally, she probably should’ve expected otherwise. In the week or so she spent on base, she had been mostly roaming around freely without reprimand or direction. It was only a matter of time before someone asked for her to make herself useful. 

Still, the thought of performing the task they were asking of her hadn’t even crossed Ahsoka’s mind since arriving.

“Recon?” she repeated in surprise. “What exactly do you need to look into?”

Bo-Katan smirked briefly, seeming pleased she had gotten her attention. “Mainly Maul’s crime syndicate, since we assume that’s what he left Mandalore for. There are rumors of him wanting to expand, though nothing sufficient to prove that just yet.”

“That makes sense,” Ahsoka agreed. “But then why take me along?”

“Better to have a force user around in case things go wrong. We typically only send three at a time. In this case, three being you, me, and whoever else is willing.”

It sounded easy enough. “Does your sister know about this?”

The Mandalorian let out a laugh then, shaking her head in confirmation. “With how enamored she is by Kenobi, it would probably be one ear in, one out for her. Truthfully, I’m surprised she’s even talking to me.”

“Well, you two have had quite the disconnect over the years from what I heard.”

Bo-Katan merely sighed in turn, leaving Ahsoka to ponder briefly if she had a mistake in bringing up the subject. Force knows how many times it had been addressed already with both Obi-Wan and Satine in the mix. Surprisingly, Ahsoka didn’t end up having to speak next.

“You know, I’m still not sure what to do after all… this. If there even is an after,” Bo admitted. “I never expected Satine would survive after the dust settled, and though it was wrong of me to even _think_ it, a small part of me felt it would have been my best chance to rule. But now…”

 _Ah._ There was the self-serving, ambitious commander of Death Watch she ran into what felt like years ago. Still, Ahsoka knew she wasn’t the one to decide she would be allowed to repent for her actions, instead offering encouragement. “Like you said, I doubt Satine even _wants_ the throne anymore if the alternative is being with Obi-Wan. Your people have changed, so has she, what everyone needs now is a leader to unify them.”

She considered the thought briefly before frowning. “I don’t know if I can be that.”

“Isn’t that why you joined Death Watch? For the chance to lead your people eventually?” Ahsoka pointed out. “Now you’ll get that chance, everyone will be looking to you one way or another. Prove to them you can be that leader they need.”

“Do _you_ even believe that?”

“I’ve seen glimpses of it here and there. But it won’t be easy, even I can tell you that much.”

“How reassuring,” came Bo-Katan’s plain response, giving away little. “I suppose there’s no use speculating on it though. C’mon, Kenobi should be back with our reinforcements soon.”

“If you could call a bunch of freelancing pirates who are in it for themselves that,” Ahsoka said with a scoff.

“I’m feeling generous. Really, we don’t have another choice in the matter. I just hope we’re able to keep them in line.”

“Somehow I doubt that’s going to happen,” she bantered back while watching the skies. “Just a feeling.”

Once the first ship broke through the atmosphere, Ahsoka remembered she never did end up answering Bo-Katan’s initial question. “By the way, I’ll join you on the recon. Seems like you could use all the help you can get.”

She snorted, but Ahsoka could tell Bo was pleased by her response. “That’s one thing off my mind at least. Now we’ll see if Kenobi can make it two.”

 _Yes, we will,_ she thought. Ahsoka’s previous run-ins with Hondo left a sour taste in her mouth, kriff, it was part of the reason she had agreed to the recon mission to begin with. Obi-Wan seemed to trust him though, so she supposed it was something she’d just have to live with. Allies weren’t exactly something they had in luxury anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing a semi-drunk, irritated Padmé was not what I planned for going into this chapter, but I can't say I regret doing so either.


	13. Splintered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hondo and his crew (mainly Hondo) rub some Mandalorians the wrong way; Anakin and Mace Windu look to capture Count Dooku as Republic casualties continue to amass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, when I said updates might get more infrequent, I certainly did not have this in mind. Unfortunately, university's been kicking my ass from all angles, to put it bluntly, but midterm season finally ended today, so that means more time to write out the outline for this story I had mapped out two months ago. 
> 
> Anyway, hope y'all enjoy this one, next chapter ought to be out by next Monday or Tuesday. My hope is to grind out as many chapters as possible before finals, should be a blast. :D

“… I’m just saying we could all benefit from a more exact timeline.”

Obi-Wan grimaced inwardly in response to Hondo’s latest comments. Around him, he could sense the prying eyes and disapproving looks from the Mandalorians who were gathered at the briefing. Not even five minutes in, and already there seemed to be a palpable disconnect between the two factions.

However, if he was being honest, this was about how he expected this first meeting to go over. Hondo’s tact—or lack thereof in this case—accompanied by his brash eccentricity tended to rub people the wrong way, a reflection of his group.

“Hondo, please. We’ve discussed this already,” he chided, intervening before someone else lit into the Weequay out of frustration. “The logistics behind the attack are still being worked out.”

“For now, the plan is to have your crew be Kenobi’s strike force once our initial siege has begun,” Bo-Katan informed then, sounding oddly aloof about the situation. Of everyone in the room, Obi-Wan was sure she would have the least amount of tolerance for Hondo’s antics.

“And what are the responsibilities of this strike force?” Hondo inquired oh so casually.

Bo-Katan shot Obi-Wan a fleeting look as if to say _He’s your problem._ Evidently, she already believed he would be the one to keep the pirates in check. Normally, he would argue such a sentiment, but amidst his current company, he couldn’t say she was wrong.

“Once Bo-Katan’s forces confirm Maul’s location, we’ll have to slip into the system. In theory, with the chaos of battle and proper cloaking equipment, we should get by undetected. Stealth will be key. I trust you and your crew can manage that?”

It was a rhetorical question more than anything, as they’d sooner see banthas fly before Hondo admitted to a shortcoming of any kind. Sure enough, he and a few crewmates voiced their confirmation moments later.

“Good. Once we’re there, taking the two of them down will be a Jedi matter,” Obi-Wan snuck a glance at Ahsoka then, who for the first time actually seemed interested in the discussion at hand.

“A director encounter with the horned men?” Hondo’s voice was mixed with surprise and what almost sounded like admiration. “That is bold of you, Kenobi.”

“Well, I suppose that’s the job, isn’t it?” he replied wearily, the pirate apparently having worn him down more than he had anticipated.

“Speaking of which, about our reimbursement…” the pirate began.

Satine was the one to step in this time. “You’ll get your credits once you’ve all been cleared by Mandalorian command. Isn’t that right, Bo?”

“I… yes. I think we’ve discussed enough in terms of battle tactics for now. After we _personally_ deem you all trustworthy,” she waved her hand in their general direction, “you’ll be paid your commission.”

“You will receive no argument from me, my lady,” Hondo said quaintly in an attempt at diplomacy. “Just show us the way and we will go.”

Bo-Katan did just that, and sure enough, Hondo’s crew dispersed like a krayt dragon hunting its prey. Obi-Wan let out a sigh of relief as the room cleared, though judging from the frown on Bo-Katan’s face, he wasn’t quite out of the woods just yet.

* * *

Anakin was surprised and somewhat unsettled by how quickly things had happened. When he had arrived at the temple for Master Windu’s rendezvous, half the 501st and 212th had been mobilized alongside Windu’s 187th legion. Before long, he found himself whisked away on another Venator and in hyperspace, the plan of attack being laid out.

“Though uninhabited, Agamar does have a significant Separatist presence on world,” Windu began. “The tactical droid, General Kalani, has been one of the more elusive ones. No doubt Count Dooku will utilize his data on Republic attacks to coordinate their defenses as needed.”

Rex picked up on the name immediately. “Kalani, he was the same clanker in charge of the invasion on Onderon.”

“Indeed. Intel confirms that the Separatist ship in the system is merely for supplies, but still fully operational. Once we exit hyperspace, we’ll have to cut off any hyperlanes leading out of the system. A boarding party will be prepared accordingly.”

“How can we be sure Dooku’s even still there?” Anakin questioned.

“Based on previous scans and intel of the system, the ship has not attempted to flee. A shuttle seemed to have recently docked aboard, we presume that was Dooku's doing.”

“Alright, all battalions, prepare to engage enemy fighters once we arrive. Master Windu and I will take a squad or two to pursue Count Dooku aboard the ship. Be quick, the element of surprise is our advantage.”

A collective “Sir, yes, sir” ended the briefing then, limited as it was. Though in fairness, they could discuss battle tactics all they wanted, but when it came to the real thing, instincts were what counted, strategy be kriffing damned at times. It was like Rex had said: Experience outweighs everything.

As they made their way to the transports for deployment, Windu approached Anakin with an almost curious tone to his voice.

“You seem… apprehensive, Skywalker,” he noted.

 _So, he had noticed._ “I’ve never been to trust intel from an unknown source, Master Windu,” Anakin replied only half-jokingly. “Where did this information come from?”

“One of our informants intercepted a high priority message being relayed to Count Dooku,” he explained. “It appears he and General Kalani scheduled a meeting prior, only the Count never showed up.”

“Until now,” Anakin filled in the blanks, frowning slightly at the thought. “Who was this informant?”

“The transmission we were given was completely untraceable. However, an analysis of Separatist hyperspace routes all but confirmed the intel, and the Chancellor approved the mission from there. Does that answer your questions?” Windu’s tone had a sense of finality to it, and Anakin knew better than to press further. Clearly, he seemed to be just as in the dark as he was.

“Yes, thank you,” he replied plainly. Not a lie by any means, he had after all received sufficient explanation for the things he had asked about.

It was just that they weren’t the answers he _wanted_ to hear.

“May the Force be with you.”

Anakin felt his reply couldn’t have been stilted if he had tried.

* * *

“For a group of mercenaries, I didn’t expect them to be so…” Bo-Katan trailed off, the disappointment in her voice less palpable than expected.

“Extravagant?” Obi-Wan filled in before shrugging. “You get used to it eventually.”

“I sure hope they’re better with blasters than they are at following protocol,” she said with a shake of her head. “We don’t have the time or resources to train them in any significant capacity.”

“They can handle themselves. For what it’s worth, I can tell you they have experience where it counts. An operation like this ought to be familiar territory for them,” he assured.

Bo-Katan muttered a small curse in Mando’a under her breath before sighing. “Well, we’re short on options anyway. As long as they do the job when it matters.”

“I’m not a fan of Hondo and his ‘friends’ either,” Ahsoka chimed in. “But if there’s money on the line, they’ll find a way to pull through.”

“Well, they’re a security risk either way. Which is why I’ve told the interrogation group to confiscate their comms once they’ve been cleared,” she revealed.

“Taking precaution, Bo? How thoughtful of you,” Satine teased. Perhaps they _were_ more alike than they were willing to admit.

As expected, she shrugged off the compliment. “It’s the practical thing to do, sister. Maul and the Republic would pay handsomely for our bounties. And until we’re sure we can trust Kenobi’s friends,” a brief pointed look came in his direction then, “this is how things are gonna be.”

“If that’s the case, are we scrubbing the recon mission then?” Ahsoka inquired.

“Recon?” Obi-Wan repeated, wondering what he had missed in the interim.

Bo-Katan blinked in confusion before something about the statement clicked. “Oh, that. Your padawan and I—” she began.

“She’s not my padawan,” Obi-Wan corrected.

Ahsoka smiled briefly at the thought, while the Mando didn’t miss a beat from his interruption. “Could’ve fooled me. Anyhow, we were looking to gain intel about Maul’s crime syndicate. I know where Black Sun’s been established, but in case he’s expanded… better to have one of you force wielders in the picture.”

“How long is this mission supposed to last?” Satine questioned.

“It’s a routine operation, probably just a couple days or so. We’ll be back once we have the information we need.”

“And you’re on board with this?”

“It’s better than me just moping around here waiting for the attack. I’ll be fine,” she replied, waving off his concerns. “Besides, you know how many Clones I had to fend off before you rescued me?”

Though phrased as a joke, Obi-Wan registered a sense of sadness lingering in her words. Though on that matter, he didn’t want to press her. While he had liberated her from what was likely a lifetime of imprisonment and felt responsible for her wellbeing, what she did now was up to her. After all, it was like he said: she _wasn’t_ his padawan and likewise, he wasn’t her master. 

In the end, Obi-Wan merely nodded and gave a few words of encouragement, signifying his approval.

“Great, we leave tomorrow then. I trust you two can keep an eye on this place?” Bo-Katan questioned, her request a formality more than anything.

“Of course,” Satine said assuredly, before surprising her sister—and Obi-Wan and Ahsoka alike—with a hug. After a few pregnant moments of delay, she returned the gesture.

After a moment Satine drew back, a smile on her face. “Stay safe, Bo.”

“Well, I’ve made this far after all these years, I don’t plan on dying anytime soon.”

“I’d hope not,” Obi-Wan replied, a bit disconcerted with the easygoing tone to her voice. “Make sure you two watch each other’s six out there.”

“We will. If you need anything, contact us with the holotable. I’ve encrypted it an access code: 020812. In the meantime,” Bo-Katan gestured at the door the pirates exited minutes ago, “I’ll keep an eye on your new recruits.”

 _Good luck with that_ , Obi-Wan thought, barely stifling a smirk as she left the room. Though from Ahsoka and Satine’s body language, he could tell they echoed the sentiment, even as it remained unspoken.

* * *

The initial attack went about as well as it could’ve. Oddly enough, the Separatist ship was still in atmosphere upon arrival, with minimal air defenses to oppose their advance. Getting onto the ship was almost a little too easy and both Jedi knew it.

“I take it there were no complications on your end,” Master Windu commented, as he and Anakin moved to converge on the ship’s command center.

“Not yet,” Anakin eventually replied, caught off guard by how Obi-Wan esque Windu’s quip was. Perhaps his master rubbed off on the Council more than he had realized. “I have a feeling this is only the beginning.”

As if on cue, a wave of droidekas entered the fray once they neared the ship’s interior, slowing their advance. The Clones spread out in response, returning an equally impressive wave of fire while Windu and Anakin blocked the oncoming barrage as much as they could manage.

Every now and then, they would briefly take cover behind supply crates to force push the destroyers off balance. Though that was short-lived once a scan confirmed the crates were loaded with proton bombs.

“Maybe we can use that against them,” Rex said thoughtfully. Anakin could tell even with their helmets the Clones all had smiles on their faces.

Before long, they managed to clear a path once they managed to ignite the explosives behind enemy lines.

“Come on!” Anakin urged, relishing in the rush of adrenaline from battle. And for a moment, he forgot all about Obi-Wan and Ahsoka and everything else that seemed to go awry for him lately.

But then the ray shields dropped, bringing him back to reality. Several of them, enough to cut Anakin off from most of their forces. He chanced a glance back, only to be met by a fierce look from Windu, who was trying in vain to pierce the barrier with his lightsaber.

“Dooku is still on board! Find him!” he stressed, before adding somewhat belatedly, “We’ll be fine.”

There was no time for a retort as Anakin found himself repelling blaster fire once more, the remaining Clones led by Rex firing from the rear. The only real issue was the droidekas, especially now that they had little to no cover left.

“Go!” Rex said as one of his grenades wiped out the last batch of regular battle droids, at least for the time being. “We’ll cover you.”

Anakin simply nodded in agreement before beginning a dash towards the heart of the ship, nimbly dodging blaster fire along the way. It didn’t occur to him until it was too late that he probably should have waited for reinforcements.

The telltale boom of an explosive rattled his ears, caving in the tunnel’s access point entirely then. Clearly, Dooku didn’t care for the integrity of the ship if it meant getting Anakin on his own. Still, if the bomb had gone off a few moments earlier… he shuddered briefly before further pondering the situation.

Dooku was toying with them, there was no denying that. The sudden intel on his location after he had been hiding away in the political spectrum for most of the war, it had to have been a purposeful leak. The only question was _why_? With the influence he had over so many systems, there was no reason for Dooku to actively seek out a confrontation, even with his skills, which Anakin knew of firsthand.

A string of blaster fire interrupted his thought process, Anakin gritting his teeth as he searched for an opening. A steely resolve washed over him as the room soon became littered with decapitated droids. This was a victory they desperately needed; Anakin had seen the stats after all. Republic casualties were rising by the month, meaning the war effort would soon become unsustainable. It was all on him to complete the mission now; to bring them one step closer to ending it all.

_This time, he won’t escape._

* * *

Dooku shook his head as he watched the battle unfold from the security feeds of the command center. _So wasteful, so predictable._ It hadn’t taken much to lure the Jedi. Skywalker was a given, but Master Windu’s presence on the other hand… that certainly sparked his interest. 

Their urgency was clear as day, but whether it was due to Kenobi’s departure or not remained unclear. The actions of his grandpadawan were an enigma to him, a mystery waiting to be solved. For him to splinter off from the war at this juncture, to leave his unstable padawan for Mandalorian affairs, it simply defied logic. But even so, that didn’t mean he wasn’t pleased with the results.

Sidious was now free to openly direct the Jedi as they pleased, without scrutiny. Republic casualties would only increase, further accelerating their demise. In time, Skywalker would be ripe pickings, the poster boy of the Republic to be the engineer of its downfall… there was a great deal of pleasure he could take in that.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’ve always defied my expectations. Perhaps you understood more than I thought you had that day on Geonosis,” he murmured.

For now, it was simply a matter of biding their time. Opportunity would soon present itself.

General Kalani’s voice interrupted his line of thought then. “Sir, they’ve taken the main cargo hold. The Jedi have split up and are advancing towards the command center.”

“Desperation has driven them to the offensive, as anticipated,” Dooku mused. “The ship is lost, have your forces fall back and retreat at once.”

“No one’s going anywhere.”

Dooku smirked at the voice, before turning to face his adversary. “Skywalker,” he acknowledged, igniting his crimson blade to parry the blue of his foe. “Impeccable timing as always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's that, thanks to all my readers who've stuck around. Comment, kudos, review, user interaction's always welcome. :)
> 
> Next chapter: Anakin confronts Dooku, hateful words ensue.


	14. Mind Games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all, not sure what to say aside from the usual apology for this chapter being extremely late, it seems like I do worse with self-imposed deadlines. So no more of that lol. From now on, I'll do my best to update when I can, but no promises. 
> 
> ... okay actually, I can probably guarantee at least one chapter every two-ish months, but that's it.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy this one regardless, delaying it for so long only made me try harder to edit it to perfection like the inner masochist I can be. :D

Anakin didn’t bother with a response to Dooku’s taunt, instead feverishly jumping into battle with a flurry of attacks and parries. If there was one thing he knew from their previous encounters, he couldn’t afford to give much, if any, breathing room.

Annoyingly enough though, each one of Anakin’s strikes was repelled with purpose. Clearly, hacking away with impunity wasn’t going to cut it. _Not yet at least._

However, in the confined area of the ship’s command center, one could only retreat so far before being backed into a corner. As such, Dooku fell back on one of his more effective strategies: hurling projectiles. Panels and levers were dislodged from security consoles before being thrown at Anakin with little regard. Though some of the debris was unavoidable, Anakin hardly slowed down before leaping up the slightly inclined platform to even ground, absorbing the blows he could manage with his bionic hand. 

Dooku seemed almost reluctant in reigniting his lightsaber, though when their blades clashed, his smile simply reeked of amusement.

“You are unbalanced, boy,” Dooku commented, the first time either of them spoke since his initial greeting. “Your anger, it calls to you, empowers you, but you don’t draw on it.”

“Maybe it does,” he retorted, hoping the admission would give Dooku pause. “But I don’t need it to beat you.”

He took a few elementary jabs at the Count, each blow either met by a crimson blade or blocked by debris. A Force push out of frustration caused him to stumble momentarily, but it was only a fleeting victory.

“A shame how little you grasp. If you truly seek justice, you must do what must be done, use the tools at your disposal,” Dooku countered. “Have all those years under Kenobi’s tutelage amounted to nothing?”

Anakin was practically seething then. “You know _nothing_ about Obi-Wan!” he snarled, before launching a batch of Dooku’s scattered projectiles back at him. _Two could play that game._

He deflected the debris aside without even a thought, as expected, but that slight delay was all Anakin needed to further press his attack. Though Dooku had evaded his attacks for the most part, it was clear he couldn’t draw out the fight too long, especially once Mace and what was left of their squadron advanced. There was a definite rhythm to his movements; Anakin just had to find a way to exploit it.

“On the contrary,” Dooku replied, effortlessly pivoting out of a corner, “I believe your former master and I understand each other more than you realize.”

“Save it for the Senate.”

“I could,” Dooku said, truly seeming to consider the thought momentarily. “Ignorance does suit you, Skywalker. Ironic, considering you were prophesized to be the Jedi’s savior.”

Anakin snorted at this latest mention of his so-called _destiny_. “The prophecy is a lie. The Jedi have been around long before me or you or anyone else fighting this war, and they will be long after.”

“Humility, on the other hand, certainly isn’t one of your strengths. Surely you know your power will grow far beyond any mere Jedi.”

Anakin paid no mind to his sentiment, charging forward to leverage his strength, putting Dooku on the back foot. Though his movements maintained that measured sense of elegance, it was clear the Sith was beginning to falter ever so slightly.

After making a nimble pirouette to further close the gap, Anakin forced a block high before delivering a swift kick to Dooku’s shin. In conjunction, something had to give with the precision behind his attacks. That being the precarious balance of Dooku, the old man staggering back from the impact, his lightsaber lost in the process.

Anakin had anticipated the burst of Force lightning that followed, just barely raising his lightsaber in time to minimize the blow. He strode forward with purpose, Dooku once again resorting to a telekinetic attack, heaving what was left of the security console at him. In the split second he had before being forced to dodge, Anakin caught just a glimpse of Master Windu clearly outside the ray shield and advancing. Though how far he was from the command center, Anakin had no idea.

Just before he could move to strike Dooku’s hand and bring _that_ arc full circle, the heat of a blaster bolt zinged behind his head, and it was only then that he picked up on the clanking accompanying it.

Turning to the entrance, Anakin quickly assessed the threat. Seven battle droids total were in the room with more likely on the way, too much to account for on top of fighting Dooku already. Letting loose an almost feral growl at the decision he’d have to make, Anakin delivered a swift Force push in Dooku’s general direction, before turning to eliminate the interference.

The droids had ceased shooting almost entirely once the element of surprise was gone, attempting to scamper out of the room only to be met by a blade to the head. Save for one, whose shots Anakin had deflected back out of instinct. 

As he checked for interlopers out in the nearby hall, the Force practically screamed at him in warning, and he only had a moment to register his mistake before a second wave of Force lightning struck him in the back. Though he was disturbingly familiar with the sensation by now, tolerance didn’t mean anything if he was entirely at Dooku’s mercy regardless.

The last thing he felt was the cold, hard surface of the ship’s walls.

* * *

Obi-Wan’s eyes shot open, his meditation interrupted abruptly by a sensation he hadn’t felt in weeks. The bond between master and apprentice had been stoked, waves of nearly indiscernible pain bombarding him at once. Yet when he reached out, the Force provided no answers to the source of Anakin’s plight.

An oh too familiar sense of dread entered his mind as he raced through the possibilities. Nothing on the Holonet had caught his attention aside from the war effort ramping up, but he had expected that considering the loss of him and Ahsoka for the frontlines.

Satine, who had been helping him with his exercises, quickly caught on to his inner conflict. A delicate touch of the hand was all it took to coax him into an explanation. Exhaling a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding, Obi-Wan gave her a rundown of the situation, limited as his knowledge was.

“He’ll be okay,” she assured, and somehow, he believed it.

“He’s always had a habit of taking on more than he could handle. It may not cost him now, but…” he trailed off before finishing the thought. “I worry that won’t be the case one day.”

“What are you going to do?” There was a trace of nervousness to Satine’s voice, her underlying concern clear as day. Obi-Wan knew better than to rush off into the unknown though, especially given that Bo-Katan had all but entrusted her base of operations to them while she and Ahsoka sought out Maul’s. Staying was the only realistic option he had.

“Trust in the Force. It’s already brought me this far,” he replied, a resolute smile washing over his face briefly before he moved to stand, extending an invitational hand. “We may as well make sure everything on base is running smoothly. I doubt meditation will do me any good right now.”

Satine smiled a grateful one of her own as she took him up on his offer. “Gladly.”

At that moment, Obi-Wan felt like maybe things would be alright after all in the end. 

* * *

He had a bad feeling ever since the ray shields had singled out Skywalker, seemingly with a purpose. Only a handful of Clones were able to accompany Mace to siege the ship’s command center, where his fears were confirmed.

To start, he found the Knight sprawled over near the entrance in a prone position, barely stopping in time before he got trampled. Wreckage of ports and consoles littered the room, Dooku standing at its center. _Oh, Dooku._

He had gone far and beyond a mere _political idealist_ , as far as Mace was concerned. Even now, his crooked smile practically chilled him at the core. 

“Master Windu, how prudent of you to join us,” he greeted, his voice reeking of faux diplomacy. _Was that how he rationalized his actions? For the greater good?_ “Though Skywalker’s regression came as a disappointment, to say the least.”

_Maybe not._

“We’ve played your games long enough, Dooku. This ends now,” he warned, tentatively crouching down next to Anakin to check for a pulse.

After affirming his relief with an exhale, Mace quickly motioned to the remaining Clones in turn. “Take him and whatever troopers you can find back to the infirmary. I’ll handle things here.”

“Oh, I think not,” Dooku said pointedly, the only warning given before unleashing a torrent of force lightning. The few troopers that had managed to flank him succumbed then, unprepared for the attack. In contrast, Mace instinctively deflected the burst of energy, steeling himself for even more to come.

Mace was the first to break the tense standoff that followed, testing the waters with a few methodical jabs in hopes the Sith would commit. No such luck.

“I expected you to know better, old friend,” Dooku continued calmly as if they were merely sparring on Temple grounds. “But I suppose that’s indicative of the Order as a whole. You could all be so much more.” 

“All is as the Force wills it, so long as we heed that will,” At that, Mace pointed his lightsaber accusingly. “Which you are not.”

This time, Mace increased the intensity of his attacks, moving at a more frenetic pace. Dooku matched him blow for blow almost seamlessly, age having never deterred him. Still, Mace refused to second guess himself. In time, he would falter, especially given that Skywalker hadn’t gone down without a fight. 

“And who determines that?” Dooku questioned once their blades had retracted. “The Jedi do not hold a monopoly over the Force as you think. It is but a matter of perspective.”

Mace shook his head. “This has evolved far beyond mere philosophical differences. You can surrender now and be put on trial for your crimes, you will receive a fair one. But continue to delay the outcome, and we will do what we must.”

“Is that the lecture you gave Kenobi before his expulsion? You should know better than to expect _justice_ from the Republic.”

The thought hurt Mace more than he realized. It was distressing, to say the least, having one of their best turn away from the Order. It made them all the more susceptible at a time like this, though truthfully, Mace had long since abandoned the thought of a diplomatic solution. The war was approaching its peak, and it wouldn’t stop with or without Kenobi. Not without taking action.

To Dooku, he simply said, “Obi-Wan made his own decision. Just as you can now.”

For a moment, and only a moment, Dooku’s face was nigh unreadable before morphing back into cold, calculating, hardness. “No, I think not.”

Mace merely moved to clash blades once more, having expected such a rebuff. Aware he'd likely be outlasted in a prolonged fight, Dooku’s movements had gained a sense of urgency in turn. Weaving around his parries, Mace probed him through the Force ever so subtly, seeking to disarm. _What do you fear, Dooku?_

But what he saw caused him to do the unthinkable: hesitate. The vicious cycle of hate, torment, and suffering, Mace had caught but a glimpse of it within the confines of Dooku’s mind, his mental shields faltering for only the briefest of moments. But it had been enough. And at the forefront of it all was…

“Your master,” Mace gritted out, still trying to process the fragmented images he had seen. “Why do you serve him?”

Again, Dooku was briefly caught off guard by his words, before coiling his mouth into an eerie smirk. “Perhaps he will tell you himself in due time.”

And it was then he made for the exit unopposed, Mace realizing his intent was never to win the battle. The aggressive maneuvers, the rather conversational tone to his voice; those had all been purposeful distractions by Dooku to lure him away from the door and into the heat of battle, thus ensuring his escape.

Dooku swiftly deterred any pursuit Mace could muster with a violent Force push, flinging Anakin’s body at him. This time, there was no hesitation as he corralled Anakin’s momentum with a Force hold of his own, letting his lightsaber clatter to the ground in the process.

Though he knew it was the right decision, Mace couldn’t help but let out a sigh of frustration as he scanned the adjacent hallway. Even as he put out an order for any remaining troopers to be conscious of fleeing transports and escape pods, he knew it’d likely be a fruitless effort.

Count Dooku was gone.

* * *

Anakin woke up to another familiar sight: dull, white walls. The Infirmary. It all came rushing back to him then: The fight, Dooku… _ugh._ He didn’t want to deal with any of the fallout that was sure to come.

Instinctively, he reached over to feel for his bionic hand. _Real._ So, he had defied death once again, though at least this time he wasn’t hooked up to a ventilator. 

He moved to sit up tentatively, only for a gloved hand to ease him back down. The trooper’s insignia was the only reason he didn’t fight it. _Rex. Oh, thank the Force, Rex made it._

“Easy there, General,” Rex admonished. “Medic says you shouldn’t have any lasting injuries, but he’s no Kix in my book.”

“What happened?” he asked, the words tumbling out of his mouth rather groggily.

“Looks like you took a beating from Count Dooku, that’s what happened,” Rex was never one to mince words. “Third-degree burns, minor scarring, and one hell of a headache, I’m imagining. You’re lucky General Windu came when he did, could’ve been a lot worse.”

“How long have I been out?”

“About two days,” Anakin jolted back up at that information, Rex quickly clarifying. “You were drifting in and out when they put you in bacta, medics said they might as well sedate you for rest before we head back to Coruscant.”

“Coruscant?” Anakin repeated in confusion.

“Apparently, we've got new intel regarding the origin of the bombing,” Rex said with a shrug. “They wouldn’t specify when I asked em what kind of intel.”

Anakin briefly pondered the admission, opting to make nothing of it for the time being. “And Dooku?” he asked with a grimace, knowing full well the answer to _that_ question.

“No luck there, I’m afraid. Slimy bastard took off in a transport before we had a chance to disable the hyperdrive.” Rex confirmed, before adding, “Speaking of which, the GAR is expecting a full statement from you about this recent encounter. When you’re ready, of course.”

He shut his eyes tight, replaying the scenario in his mind again. “I could have done, I _should have._ If only—”

“The past is the past. It’d be best to move forward sooner rather than later,” the stern voice of Master Windu cut in, acknowledging Anakin’s state with a curt nod. “Good to see you’re up and about.”

That was about the closest one could get to warmth from the Korun master, but it sure didn’t make for easy conversation. “Uh, thanks. Aside from the rock pounding in my head, I guess I feel fine,” Anakin eventually replied. “Looks like I owe you one from what Rex tells me.”

Predictably, Windu brushed the compliment off. “I did what was necessary. Though Dooku did evade capture, a Separatist stronghold was eliminated with few casualties. This was a collective victory for the Republic.”

Anakin mulled this over, nodding in agreement. Though still largely disappointed in himself, it was relieving to hear that they at least accomplished _something_ in retrospect.

“I agree, sir,” Rex said, breaking the silence.

“So, about that report—" Anakin began.

“Get your rest if you need it,” Windu quickly dismissed his line of thinking. “You may still have lingering concussion symptoms. If they really need a report, we’ll get to it on Coruscant.”

“Fine by me.” Anakin was in no mood to be productive.

“Oh, and don’t let Dooku deter you,” Upon his noticeable wince, Windu pressed what Anakin assumed was supposed to be a comforting hand to his shoulder. “You have great potential, Skywalker. So long as you remain mindful, you can be the great Jedi you aspire to be, and soon.”

It was one of the conversations that had survived the tests of time for him, and every time, it left him wondering the why behind it. This time being no exception as Anakin was left to contemplate Windu’s words. It was always about _potential_ , and it was getting to a point where Anakin was beginning to question whether he’d ever reach the expectations laid out for him. _Could he?_

When explaining his rationale to Rex, he had countered with an entirely different takeaway altogether. Needless to say, Anakin was dubious.

“A promotion? Rex, I’m practically walking on eggshells with the Council right now. My padawan and master are being accused of treason, and they barely trusted me to begin with. Dooku was the one chance I had to redeem myself.”

“Maybe it was, but I’d say the hints are there regardless. Subtle praise, motivating you to be better, General Windu seemed to check all the boxes.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Anakin muttered, rolling over to his side and effectively ending the conversation. Thankfully, Rex took the hint. 

Once he was alone, Anakin allowed himself to silently admit that even though the distrust between him and the Council likely went both ways, officially becoming a Master in name _was_ a fun thought. Heck, it was what he’d dreamed of for years. And on the off-chance Rex’s hunch was right, Anakin himself would check to make sure his Clone template didn’t include a transfusion of midi-chlorians.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flip flopped a bit on how the fight should play out, but decided Anakin wasn't quite in the right mental state to outclass Dooku as things stood. Gave Windu a few handicaps as well, and I think it turned out alright in the end. But feel free to let me know your thoughts if you want. 
> 
> Appreciate all the love and comments, I'll try to be more consistent from here on. ^_^

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, reviews, kudos, I enjoy every last one of them. Even if you just checked out this story momentarily, I appreciate you taking the time for it. :)


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